


It's like kissing...

by Dudette_Mal



Category: Karneval
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-07
Updated: 2015-12-15
Packaged: 2018-05-05 12:30:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 40,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5375267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dudette_Mal/pseuds/Dudette_Mal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Written for NaNoWriMo 2015:</i> Gareki didn't need to like it, to be there and Yogi... he needed just a little push.<br/>Or just your usual High School AU with a little twist...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part I

**Author's Note:**

> I'm still planning on reading it over soon, but since I'm busy in real life, it could take a while. I hope there aren't any big mistakes in, but if there are, it would be nice to tell me.  
> Much love,  
> Mal ♥

It was Monday. Of course it was. A crappy beginning to a shitty week.

  
To get more exact: It was Monday morning, just before the first period in a new school. An idiotic new school he was only able to attend due to a maybe not that shitty scholarship, knowing he would never feel comfortable in it. But he was a fighter and this trice damned school would be his weapon.

  
A deep scowl was on Gareki’s face when he followed the teacher who seemed as stupid as every other adult. Maybe even more stupid, Gareki decided when the completely useless teacher turned around and smiled at him.

  
Gareki could actually feel his eyes twitching in annoyance. Could his day become any more shitty? It was only eight am. Lunchtime was only approaching. Breakfast was only over.

  
There were many things he could not stand. And this school seemed like a collection of every single thing.

  
The teacher halted and so did Gareki behind him. He was told to wait until he called him in. Gareki nodded with a shrug even though the last thing he wanted was to agree. He would be looked at like an animal in the zoo, the main attraction, if it was even similar than the last school.

  
But he knew, the scholarship had been hard – maybe even impossible – to get and he knew he would be angry with himself if he lost it merely because of his temper. The teacher left him, probably thinking he was just nervous or something similar stupid.

  
He took a deep breath, telling himself, it was just a class like every other class he had visited before. Even though it wasn’t. This was a school for rich brats and he was the exact opposite.

  
He took another breath. He would be fine. After all, he had mastered everything else alone too. There were only so many people he could trust after all and he had learned to use his own mind to think a long time ago.

 

* * *

 

Tsukumo looked at her notes for the next class.

  
It was always best to be prepared after all, even though the next class was one of her best and one of the easiest ones. Skipping though her notes and over her homework until she heard the door open and the teacher stepped in. She closed her notes and took a new sheet of paper for new notes out.

  
However, the teacher didn’t start with his lesson right away; instead, he told them about the new student who would attend. He took special emphasizes on the smartness of him and Tsukumo bit slightly on her lip. That was normally a bad move.

  
She sincerely hoped this ‘Gareki’ had a thick skin. But she would do what she could to help him in the beginning. She blinked when he stepped inside. With cold grey eyes his gaze wandered around in class. She knew him.

  
Eventually the teacher assigned him the place next to herself. She smiled softly. “Your project at the science competition was amazing, Gareki-kun,” she told him with a gentle smile.

  
He shrugged as he pulled out a notebook and his pen. “I figured.”

  
They both concentrated on the white board in front of them, jotting down notes as the lesson went along.

 

* * *

  
The nice thing about this school, Gareki eventually decided, was the science room.

  
While the scholarships only condition had been, that he became a member of it and participated regularly, he found that he enjoyed it, instead of finding it annoying.

  
Maybe it was due to how well everything was stocked and what tools he had access to, maybe it was because the teacher let him do what he wanted without making fuss (besides asking him to wear safety googles whenever he was too into a project and forgot them, but he could live with that quite well).

  
He bit slightly on his bottom lip and sighed. The only really annoying thing was that seemed like they weren’t able to respect that people needed space.

  
“What the hell do you want?” Gareki asked, eyes meeting violet ones.

  
“Help,” he was encountered slightly amused. “Sorry, I didn’t want to bother you. You were so concentrated.”

  
Gareki narrowed his eyes. “Why should I?”

  
“I’m Yogi,” the student in front of him introduced himself, standing up from his chair and offering his hand.

  
“And?” Gareki asked, not even looking at the hand.

  
“I’m struggling with Integral calculations?”

  
“Pft. That’s no answer,” Gareki snorted. “So, why should I even try to explain math to you if you don’t understand simple question? I’ve got better things to do with my time. There is still a project I want to finish and another on already on my mind—“

  
“I’ll pay you!” Yogi interrupted him, “Just please don’t tell my parents… I don’t want them to be disappointed again.”

  
Finally, Gareki closed his pen, looking up at him with a slight interest. “How much,” he questioned, “Is my time worth for you?”

  
Yogi seemed to be thinking for a moment. “How about twenty for an hour?”

  
Gareki swallowed slightly. “You’ve got yourself a deal. But you’ll be punctual. Otherwise, I’ll be leaving.”

  
“Of course! Thank you, Gareki-kun!” Yogi agreed. “So, when can we start?”

  
Gareki leaned back in his chair. “Are you free tomorrow at two? We could use the school’s library then.”

  
“I’ll be there!” Yogi agreed with a bright smile.

  
“Tomorrow then, now leave me to my project.” Gareki decided, opening his pen again.

  
“I’m looking forward to it, Gareki-kun!” Yogi exclaimed, almost bouncing in joy.

  
“Yeah, yeah…”

 

* * *

  
Well, Yogi wasn’t late. That was at least a start. Gareki put a bookmark in his book, and looked up at him. “Hey Gareki-kun!” Yogi greeted him, falling into the seat next to him. “How was your day? I heard the science teacher praise your last project!”

  
For a moment Gareki was silent, but then, “It was alright, I guess. Let’s start. I don’t have all day.”

  
Yogi’s gaze dropped a little. “Yeah, sure… You must be awfully busy…”

  
“Not really,” Gareki mumbled, somewhat surprising himself. “I just have to go shopping before the grocery store closes. So, I can’t stay any longer than two hours.”

  
Yogi nodded. “Alright then, where do we start?”

  
“Where do you struggle?” Gareki encountered.

  
Yogi seemed pensive. “I really don’t know. I know the formulas and everything, but as soon as there is a text involved, I just—“ He shook his head. “I just don’t know what to do.”

  
Gareki hummed, but then nodded. “I see…” He rummaged through his school bag, but quickly found a book he was looking for and flipped through it, clearly looking for something. “Let me see.” He told Yogi and pointed at an exercise.

  
“Oh, of course.” Yogi answered, pulling the book lightly closer, reading it with narrowed eyes. “I have to calculate the turning point first, right? To…”

  
“Try, I’ll be watching.” Gareki answered him. “I’m not expecting you to solve it; I just want to know what I need to teach you.”

  
Yogi nodded slightly, gaze falling back on the paper as he calculated the first two derivations, trying his best to solve the exercise until suddenly… he had no idea how to go on, staring blankly at the paper.

  
Gareki rubbed his temples. “First of all, you’re… too messy on the paper. If you have to look around later whether you already calculated something and don’t find it, you’re giving away time.” His finger pointed at the area Yogi had just calculated again. “And one of them you calculated wrong as well. Which is also a reason you need to do this more tidy. I don’t even want to see your notebook, this is already giving me a headache. Second of all, you need to learn to make this big problem into small easy problems. You’re making this calculation more difficult than it is.” Gareki took out his own notebook and flipped through the pages until he found his solution for the problem. “Look here.”

  
Yogi blinked. Eyes wandering over the page, bit for bit realizing where he had gone wrong. “Oh…”

  
“It’s always easier when you see the solution,” Gareki then interrupted Yogi’s thoughts. “But this is how you should work on difficult problems – on all problems that require more than one step really.” He shrugged slightly. “Teachers sometimes even give points when they understand the way you thought and see where your mistake when the beginning or the follow up is correct. Sometimes even when you write down what you need to do even though you don’t know how. It isn’t much, but a few points can make a grade.” Gareki rubbed his fingers slightly. “How about you copy this exercise down – tidily – and then you try another one? Repetition is the key, once you understand one, you’ll understand the other exercises. Math is really simple once you understand it.”

  
Yogi nodded. “Thank you, Gareki-kun. I’ll do my best.” He started to copy Gareki’s solution on a clean page, using his ruler to underline the solutions twice, putting half sentences that would describe what would be the next step. “Your handwriting is so clean! There are girls with a messier handwriting.”

  
“Pft. It’s just simpler to keep track of everything. Sometimes, when I’m too caught up into a project, I really want to finish everything quickly, but by doing so, I would leave out the actual practise. Thus, I’d have to study more later. Maybe I’d have another project then, maybe I wouldn’t have. But doing things right once, means less studying later while keeping my usual grades.”

  
“Don’t make fun of me,” Yogi pouted slightly. “I just—there is always so much I have to do and keep up with…” he looked at the paper, rubbing his neck. “And then things like this happen, where I just don’t understand where I stopped understanding what the teacher was explaining… Urgh, that life advice is a bit late, Gareki-kun!” he complained playfully. “School will be over in two years.”

  
“Shut up and write,” Gareki encountered, unsure how to handle someone as lively as Yogi. “We’re in a library, you idiot.”

  
“Sure, will do,” he answered, smiling, because he didn’t miss that the annoyance in Gareki’s voice had just been there to cover up the slight shaking.

  
While he copied the calculations down, it made so much more sense than the questions had been (because why would he ever needed to know about the reproduction of bugs he had never even heard of?).

  
“You should make textbooks, Gareki-kun…” Yogi slowly mumbled when he had finished, but Gareki only rose an eyebrow.

  
“You should do your homework to check whether you understood everything that was taught. How about that?” Gareki answered, pushing the book back over to Yogi. “Number 5 is next. You can use your notes.” He grinned slightly. “If you need them.”

 

* * *

  
Yogi needed them. But that wasn’t the thing. He had always referred to his older calculations or the ones he had written from the whiteboard. Before he just hadn’t understood why he had done the single steps.  
He blinked at his solutions. “You switched some numbers up,” Gareki interrupted his line of thought. “Even with notes you will still need to concentrate.” He pointed at the numbers Yogi had switched. “But I think that would only been a pointless.”

  
For a moment, Yogi only breathed. Then he looked up at Gareki with a smile that could probably illuminate the night sky. “You’re amazing, Gareki-kun!”

  
“And our time is up.”

  
“It is?” Yogi asked, wide eyed. “When can you help me again?”

  
Gareki’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Again? Didn’t you… understand what your problem is?”

  
“But without you, I’ll mess up again!” Yogi told him, hoping he wasn’t pushing too much.

  
Gareki put the bag and his notebook back into his bag. “Fine. Tomorrow I’ve got club activities all afternoon. The day after that?”

  
“Fits perfectly!” Yogi agreed, enthusiastically, pulled out his wallet taking out 50, and put them into Gareki’s hand. “Keep the change! Thank you so much for helping me!”

 

* * *

  
His hands were working on their own, while putting the groceries away. His mind was wandering, wondering what this had been about.

  
Yogi’s grades generally weren’t good (even by others opinion, his own might not be fitting for someone else, he knew that), but that had never bothered him before. It wasn’t really his problem, but it still bothered him if he was honest to himself. Gareki bit on his bottom lip.

  
It could develop into a problem though. Under certain aspects like the people Yogi used to hang out with. But the money was good, it was far more than this tutoring lesson had been worth.

  
He heard the door opening and his frown was immediately replaced with a smile. “Welcome back”, he called.

  
“It’s nice to be home,” his mother answered tired. “How was your day?”

  
“It was alright. I’m already starting with dinner.”

 

* * *

 

  
Gareki was surprised though, Yogi had indeed studied. He hadn’t just decided to rely entirely on his help, even though it had at first sounded like he would only study with Gareki.

  
There were a few other mistakes, Yogi was prone to make. To forget that multiplication came before subtractions like he was just attempting to do again. “You’re about to make a mistake,” Gareki told him. “You should overthink what you just started.”

  
Yogi’s eyebrows narrowed, crossing his attempt away before going over his exercise again. Gareki could see the exact moment he realised the problem. Yogi’s eyes widened. “Oh. Again…”

  
“You really have to learn to read to the end.” Gareki sighed softly. “Go on though.”

  
It was easy money, really. Especially since Gareki made his homework while Yogi tried his best to solve the problem. The only thing that really bothered Gareki was the socialisation part. He really didn’t want to hang out with students from this school.

  
“I think I got it now!” Yogi exclaimed and threw Yogi an annoyed gaze.

  
“We’re in the library, you really should stop being so goddamn loud.” He answered. “Let me see though. It’s getting messier again, you should really keep it tidy. Some of these exercises are three pages long. It won’t be of any worth if you calculate correctly but the teacher can’t find the solution. Also you forgot the answer sentence. Correct otherwise.”

  
Yogi was one of the persons that could easily get annoying because he was so obnoxious, but there was something lurking under his smile, that spoke of charisma. Sometimes, when Gareki caught glimpses of it, he couldn’t help but wonder how Yogi would grow into it. “Have you decided on your aesthetic subject yet?” Yogi asked suddenly. “I’m not sure what I’ll be taking but I think I’ll try drama!”

  
Gareki snorted – almost. Speaking of the devil. Drama. “Yes, that fits you.”

  
“And you? What will you be doing?” Yogi asked, too eager for Gareki’s taste, almost looking at him like a lost puppy.

  
“Literature.”

  
“That fits you so well! You’re always reading as it is!” Yogi exclaimed, “You’ll probably have top grades there as—“

  
“You should be studying, you’re not paying me for chatting.” Gareki interrupted. He was already being overpaid. He wouldn’t also waste the time. Not that he’d ever mention anything about being overpaid towards Yogi. He liked saving some money and Yogi had the money to spare.

  
“Yes…” Yogi mumbled. “Which number is next?”

  
He didn’t quite attempt to chitchat afterwards while Gareki taught him.

  
That didn’t mean he didn’t attempt it otherwise.

 

* * *

  
They had just gotten their tests back and Yogi’s grade was good enough. Definitely better than normally, but still not up to Gareki’s expectations. The teacher sure was proud, praising Yogi’s efforts. Gareki rolled his eyes.

  
“What’s up?” Tsukumo asked him, almost carefully.

  
“The teacher is praising him, he didn’t even know how much work that is. Keeping Yogi concentrated and not watching out of the window…” Gareki answered.

  
“You helped him study?” she inquired softly.

  
“For money? Sure.” He grinned slightly. “But mostly I helped keeping him on track. His notetaking is horrible, no structure whatsoever, and he can’t concentrate for five minutes before being distracted by his own pencil.”

  
She blinked. “I thought he had given up on that a few years ago…” she mumbled. “We were friends once.”

  
“Ah.” That made sense. Tsukumo sometimes seemed worried about Yogi for no obvious reasons. She still saw him as a friend probably. “And then he met his current friends?”

  
She nodded slightly. “I don’t like them.”

  
“One shouldn’t like…” he was interrupted by the teacher who had just decided that there were more people to praise then just Yogi. Namely Gareki and Tsukumo. He would have groaned, but he knew, that the oral mark wasn’t worth voicing how much he hated being the centre of attention.

  
“Honour to the ones who earned it. You two have flawless grades. Not a single point missing.” He spoke and Gareki would like to throw up. This wasn’t even praise. It was the same sentence as usual.

  
Tsukumo seemed amused. “What did you expect?” she asked. “Some creativity? He’s said the same sentence to me more often than I can count. You better get used to it.”

  
Gareki shrugged slightly. “Whatever. What matters is the grade.”

  
“Exactly.” The teacher had walked back to the front of the classroom and she leaned over. “You were saying?”

  
“Later,” he told her, only then realising that that was as good as a promise to talk to her later.

* * *

  
“So,” Tsukumo started, “You were saying?”

  
“One shouldn’t like manipulative, snotty, rich assholes,” Gareki answered shortly. “That’s what I was saying.” He took another bite of his lunch. “What did you expect me to say?”

  
“Something along these lines actually.” She smiled. “Thank you for helping Yogi, I know it must be difficult. He’s smart, but gets distracted way too easily. He used to be better at focussing though.”

  
Gareki shrugged. “I don’t really mind. The payment is well and besides the science club there aren’t a lot of other activities I do.”

  
“How…” she swallowed softly. “How is Yogi doing?”

  
He halted. That was a question he didn’t like. “He can smile all he want, but he can’t hide that he’s lonely.”

  
She nodded. “I thought so too. He was shining so brightly when we were younger, like a sun chasing all the shadows away, but he’s become a shadow now.”

  
Gareki shrugged again. “His grade was good enough, I won’t spend much time with him again.”

 

* * *

  
How wrong he was.

  
He rubbed his temples. “I isn’t that difficult. Look, break the problem down, make it solvable. If you watch problems as a whole you won’t know where to start.”

  
Yogi looked up at him and were that tears in his eyes? “I’m trying!” he told him. “But why would I even need to know. The trees are 20 metres high; they want to create a power connection over them with a distance of five metres to the trees, how high do the electrical towers have to be? That’s…”

  
“Engineering.”

  
“What?”

  
Gareki leaned back on his chair. “You need it for engineering. So now, how do you start?”

  
“Drawing?” Yogi guessed.

  
“Yes. Help yourself to figure out what is what and please use a ruler.”

  
Gareki’s gaze wandered on his own sheet of paper. Extracurricular work was sure something. He rubbed his neck, before writing down the answer.

  
“What are you actually doing?” Yogi asked suddenly and Gareki looked up.

  
“The exercise from Physics?”

  
“The… was that homework?” Yogi questioned.

  
“No,” Gareki answered. “I just like to be ahead. Much preferable to your situation, don’t you think?” He knew that that might have been a step too much.

  
Yogi shrugged it off. “My grades don’t matter.”

  
“And you paying me for what exactly?” Gareki questioned him sharply. If this was just part of some joke, he could live without his extra pocket money.

  
“We got the test back on my father’s birthday…” Yogi mumbled. “It was really… Our math teacher always gives the test back the next lesson. I didn’t want to be a disappointment this year.” He cracked a bright smile. “You should have seen them! They were so proud. Apparently that was the best present I could have given him.” He fell silent and Gareki waited. “So I kinda… want to see them happy next time too.”

  
“Ah,” Gareki mumbled. “You should talk with them then. You’re on this school because they pay for it, so they should have a lot of money. There isn’t much need to spend your own money on this.”

  
Yogi shook his head. “Can we… can we just keep this a secret, Gareki-kun? Please?”

  
“It isn’t as if I’m ever going to talk with your parents anyway, so there is no threat from my side.” Gareki looked on his hands. “I’m sure, they wouldn’t care if you needed help, because you still put a lot of work into it. Honesty is something parents value as well.” He pointed at Yogi’s sketch. “Can you see now, what you need to calculate?”

  
“Yes. The highest point, right?”

  
Gareki nodded. “Go on then. Calculate your highest point.”

 

* * *

  
Gareki really wasn’t sure why exactly Yogi insisted he had to help him when he slowly got the hang of it to the point of not even needing Gareki’s help. Twenty an hour for basically sitting on the same desk as Yogi doing whatever he wanted was a bit… too overpriced. But Yogi hadn’t complained once.

  
Therefore, Gareki wouldn’t either. He flipped a page in the science book, reading approximately a lesson ahead.

  
“Would you…” Yogi started, “Would you mind studying other subjects with me?”

  
“Like?”

  
Yogi’s gaze dropped, but Gareki could still see the blush spreading on his cheeks. “Physics? Chemistry? I was like attempting my homework, but…”

  
“You talked so much during the lessons and didn’t even take any notes.” Gareki finished his sentence.

  
“I did take—“ Yogi complained, blushing even brighter.

  
“You copied down what the teacher wrote on the whiteboard. That isn’t… quite the same as taking notes. It’s not enough with that teacher.” Gareki groaned slightly. “Have you ever learned how to study? You’re giving me a headache.”

  
“I’m sorry.” Yogi mumbled, “I just…”

  
“You’re just an idiot, I know,” Gareki sighed. “Alright, what’s in it for me?”

  
Yogi seemed uncomfortable. “I can’t really give you anything besides money, Gareki-kun, I would be willing to give you as much money as I give you for math though?”

  
Gareki rubbed his neck. That sure is an offer, but… he wouldn’t be bothered, Yogi could spare the money if he offered something like this. “Alright, we need to balance it with the science club. Being inside pays my school fees.”

  
Yogi nodded in understanding. “I’m always free, so you can pick the date. I don’t mind.”

  
Gareki shrugged. “The good thing is that I’ve got free regime over the science rooms, that way I can even show you things you don’t understand.” He grinned slightly. “My next project might involve something related to our current topic in Physics, so maybe you’ll be able to watch me work.”

* * *

  
Gareki thrummed his fingers on the table, watching Yogi for a little while. Under his gaze Yogi slowly seemed to shrink, it was almost funny. “Did I do a mistake?” Yogi asked carefully. “You’re staring at me…”

  
“That’s what you’re paying me for,” Gareki answered. “As soon as you study, you understand the topics. But deciding on a study time is hard for you – concentrating on the task at hand is even harder. You don’t need me, you need a study partner.”

  
“I end up chatting with them…” Yogi told him, “and you’re nice to have around, the silence doesn’t seem awkward. He looked down on his sheet of paper. “Whenever I have a question you can answer it in a way I feel like I worked on the solution myself. It’s really nice studying with you, Gareki-kun.”

  
Gareki rubbed his neck, trying to find an adequate response. Was ‘thank you’ right? Was “you’re welcome” better?

  
“Plus you’re cuter than the tutors I’ve had before,” Yogi mentioned almost absentminded, smiling quite content.

  
“I’m not cute,” Gareki hissed slightly, all earlier thoughts forgotten.

  
Yogi nodded. “You’ve got the charm of a cat Gareki-kun. But don’t bite me, we aren’t that close.” He winked and threw a gaze on the clock. “Time is over,” Yogi said, sounding way sadder than he should, but pulled out his wallet. “When do we meet again?”

  
“Tomorrow, I want to show you something in the science club, won’t be more than half an hour,” Gareki spoke, still embarrassed by Yogi’s comparison. “But don’t embarrass me in public or I’ll send you home.”  
Yogi nodded, the smile never leaving his face.

 

* * *

  
Yogi was amazed by Gareki’s prowess in the science lab. The teacher had thrown Yogi a gaze at first, but Gareki just pulled him over to a corner desk. “It’s totally alright that you’re here,” Gareki assured him. “There are stupider people actually inside the club.”

  
Yogi raised an eyebrow. “Thank you for the vote of confidence.”

  
“You know how I mean it.”

  
He smiled slightly. “Yeah, surprisingly enough I understand your intention.”

  
Gareki shrugged. “I never said I was a social person. Anyway, remember when we talked about the state of aggregation? You know, school lied to you. There are actually four and the three you know only make up the tiniest bit of the universe.”

  
“But…” Yogi mumbled, “Isn’t everything…?”

  
“Ever wondered what fire is? It’s not gas and the other two even less.” He leaned back in his chair, “But we’re not here to make a bonfire. We’re here to take a look at the three school teaches you about.” He smiled. “I actually didn’t even think this experiment would be possible in a school, but this one is ridiculously overfunded. I’ve been to laboratories that had less technical equipment.”

  
“So I am about to see something special?” Yogi asked, sitting on the edge of the chair. “I can’t wait!”

  
“It’s going to blow your mind. And mine probably too, even though I theoretically know how it works.” Gareki offered, “But first let’s get over your studies.”

 

* * *

  
Yogi was laughing. And Gareki wondered why he didn’t do that more often. It was an uplifting sound, one that made him want to laugh too as if it was an infection, but Gareki wouldn’t do that. “Pretty amazing,” he asked with a soft grin.

  
“Yes! I didn’t know that was even possible.” He exclaimed, clearly amazed. “Why doesn’t they show us stuff like this in lessons? It’s amazing. I kinda want to take it home and put it in my room.”

  
“Because it takes an awful lot of preparation for a single lesson,” the teacher answered instead of Gareki. “Well done, Gareki-kun and Yogi-kun. And here I was afraid Yogi would wreak havoc.”

  
Yogi blushed slightly. “It’s not my fault, that my friends don’t have any behaviour.”

  
“They are bullies,” Gareki told him. “And you could find better friends. The whole school wants to be friends with you and you pick out the bullies. Of course, everybody would assume the worst of you.”

  
“They aren’t bullies – they just…” Yogi started.

  
Gareki’s eyes narrowed. “They just…?”

  
“…” Yogi shook his head. “You’re probably right, Gareki-kun… but they still offered me a hand when I needed one and…”

  
Gareki knew he took chances, but maybe if he did that… “And probably make you pay for everything.”

  
“My parents have the most money,” Yogi mumbled, suddenly seeming unsure. Smile dropping, hands falling on the desk. “Of course, I’d…”

  
“I don’t think something like that is ever ‘of course’, but who am I to talk? I have no idea how the friendship of rich brats looks like.” Gareki stretched himself. “I think our time is over.”

  
“Yeah…” Yogi mumbled. “It is, but…” He bit on his bottom lip. “Do you mind if I… you know spend some more time here?”

  
Gareki shrugged. “You’re asking to stay longer in school not in my house. Ask the authority.”

  
Yogi nodded lightly. “Al-alright. You mean you wouldn’t be terribly annoyed by it. I get it. I’m just going to ask the teacher whether I can stay here for a little longer. Watch you – or more like the experiment. I—“

  
“You’re rambling,” Gareki interrupted him.

  
“Yes, I am rambling. I’m totally rambling. I—“ he blushed. Gareki raised an eyebrow. “Alright,” Yogi mumbled, “I’m… I should pay you first, but then I’m going to ask the teacher. Like immediately.” He pulled out his wallet, offering the money to Gareki who took it, still frowning lightly and then he walked towards the teacher as if he expected him to say no.

  
If there was one thing, Gareki had learned in all his years of attending one or another science club, it was that science teachers, like the one Yogi was talking with, were more than enthusiastic if someone asked to take a look. Yogi smiled brightly at the teachers affirmation that yes, of course he could stay.

  
Yogi came back, brightly smiling. “You’ll show me some more, right? I don’t have enough money today, but I’ll definitely pay you tomorrow!”

  
Gareki rolled his eyes. “Today – just today, mind you – is my treat. You’re paying me for my mere presence sometimes.” He saw Yogi stop in his tracks. “What’s it?”

  
“You’re not going to tell anyone, I was here, right? My sister might hear about it…” he all but whispered towards Gareki.

  
“You think I’d socialise just so your sister might hear about it?” Gareki asked. “We aren’t friends, but I was thinking you knew a little bit better than that.”

  
“Alright then!” Yogi exclaimed, back to sounding as excited as he had done earlier. “So what is this actually called?” He pointed at the currently frozen – and now it was liquid, just how amazing was that? – sphere Gareki had prepared.

  
“Triple point. Just enough warmth and pressure to, well you see it.” He answered and pulled out some sheets of paper. “Now let’s see how well you listened. This is what you need math and science for.”

  
Yogi took the sheets. “We’re back to calculations? Oh!” understanding appeared in Yogi’s eyes. “That’s what this… was for?”

  
Gareki shrugged. “It’s one way to use it. There are tons of situation where you could use it. This is just were I use them most.”

  
“You’re amazing, Gareki-kun! Really utterly-!”

  
“Shut up and do your math,” Gareki teased. “We’re going to use your numbers, so no mistakes allowed or do you want to see explosions? We’re in the wrong room for that.” Gareki winked.

  
“My numbers? But…”

  
“Believe in yourself, Yogi.” Gareki stood up from his place. “I’m back in a few minutes, why don’t you get started? You’re not having all day and this might take three to four pages depending what size your script is.”

 

* * *

  
Yogi started to attend the science club regularly after that. Frankly, not every day like Gareki was, but at least twice a week. What surprised Gareki most was, that he actually came up with ideas and experiments he wanted to do.

  
It wasn’t even a surprise for Gareki that he started doing his homework.

  
However, what came as a surprise was that he, out of the blue sat down on the free table next to Gareki.

  
“I’m pretty sure—“ Gareki started, looking up from his notes in question, “That your seat was in the last row.”

  
“Well, I decided Gareki-kun is better company than my bully friends,” he joked, but Gareki understood.

  
His gaze dropped back on his notes. “Told you they weren’t good friends.”

  
Yogi laughed. “You said you weren’t sure whether there were different rules between rich brats.”

  
“Well, I didn’t. Though, you being here, tells me the rules are the same, therefore I told you.” Gareki spoke, gaze wandering to the door.

  
Yogi chuckled lightly. “Yeah, that’s probably right.” He leaned back in the chair. “But you’re not sending me away?”

  
Gareki shrugged. “There are things I care about more. Just don’t decide that my desk looks comfortable.”

  
“You’re the best, Gareki-kun!”

  
Tsukumo stood in front of his desk, coughing softly to gain their attention. “Do you need something?” Gareki asked her.

  
“Yogi is sitting here now?” she questioned, sounding distinctly relieved.

  
“He saw reason,” Gareki told her lightly. “And how high are the chances that I’ll get to read over my notes before the lesson starts?”

  
Yogi pulled papers out of his bag. “I have a question, Gareki-kun. Could you…?”

  
Gareki took a deep breath. “How much are you sure you know what your actual question is?”

  
“Pretty! It’s just that-!”

  
“Then ask the teacher. Give me a few moments.” Yogi looked a little lost. “It will be alright. If you know exactly what you want to know the teacher will be delighted to explain.”

 

* * *

  
The change was… there.

  
Gareki missed the times when he had his quiet. Yogi could be a handful. Tsukumo stayed with Yogi. Yogi was glued to Gareki. The quiet to finish the novel he had just started a few days ago.

  
Yogi still paid him for his study time, Tsukumo raised an eye every time he offered him money. Always seemed like she wanted to say something, but never did.

  
He pocketed the money, ignoring it. “How about we grab something to drink on the way?” Yogi asked them, “It’s my treat.”

  
“I don’t need charity,” Gareki decided. “And I still need to go shopping and fix dinner. So don’t count me in.” He slung his bag over his shoulder, one last time checking whether all zippers were closed.

  
“You don’t have to pay,” Tsukumo offered him gently. “But I’d like some time to catch up with you. It’s been some time since we last talked.”

  
Gareki saw Yogi agreeing, before leaving them.

 

* * *

  
And maybe he shouldn’t have.

  
“Will you meet up with us tomorrow, Gareki-kun?” Yogi asked as soon as he saw him.

  
“Tomorrow is Saturday.” Gareki answered curtly.

  
Yogi nodded. “I know. We could meet at mine, my parents are looking forward to meeting Tsukumo again! Or we could go to the science museum, you must love the exhibit! Or the library! There are still some books I want to look at—“ he babbled and Gareki wondered how he could even breathe between his sentences.

  
Gareki looked at his desk. “Only if there is food involved.”

  
“Wha—“ Yogi asked. “My mother is an amazing cook. You’ll love the food.” He nudged Gareki slightly. “Just tell me what you want to eat and it’ll be there.”

  
He took a moment before answering. “It’s been ages since I had homemade curry with chicken.”

  
“Alright,” Yogi mumbled, pulling out his mobile and texting. “A good pick. It’s been ages for me too.” Then he looked at Gareki again, giving him his full attention. “How about we meet at eleven? We can head towards the library first and then head to mine. It’s a little hard to find.”

  
Figures, Tsukumo was utterly in love with the idea as well.

 

* * *

  
Gareki wasn’t quite sure what he should think when instead of the library, Yogi pulled him into a clothing shop. An expensive one. (With an amazing selection, but Gareki would bite his tongue before voicing that opinion.)

  
“It’ll only take a moment,” Yogi promised, but instead of picking out something colourful, childish for himself, he walked over to the more subtle covers. “I just saw something last time I was here and you totally have to try it on, Gareki-kun!”

  
“I have to? Will you dress me otherwise?” he joked lightly, sounding serious enough for Yogi to turn around at him spluttering slightly.

  
“I’d—Gareki-kun!” he was red by now and Tsukumo chuckled. “Tsukumo-chan-!”

  
“You got yourself into this,” Tsukumo said lightly, “I didn’t do a thing, so don’t involve me.”

  
Yogi’s gaze dropped slightly. “I know. I am sorry…” He turned to Gareki. “Could you just please try them on? I’ll invite you for food sometimes, whatever you want to eat.” He walked a little further down before taking what he had seen (and he just couldn’t shake the need to see Gareki in these clothes). “Please?”

  
Gareki threw a gaze towards Tsukumo. “I’m getting bribed again,” he told her, “Yogi knows I won’t say no to food.”

  
Tsukumo smiled at him. “Maybe you’re too easy to bribe then, Gareki. But maybe you’re too pessimistic either.”

  
Gareki went to Yogi and took the clothes. “You’re buying me breakfast on Monday,” he told him.

  
“Of course!” he smiled, first at Gareki, but as soon as he had disappeared inside the changing room, he let his gaze wander towards Tsukumo. “Are you going to come a little earlier to school on Monday too?”

  
“No,” she answered, “I’ll be right on time, but not earlier.”

 

* * *

  
Gareki looked even better in the clothes than Yogi had expected. “I think I found the right clothes! You look really handsome, Gareki-kun!” He pulled slightly on Gareki’s sleeves and nodded to himself. “They are a keeper! Don’t you think, Tsukumo-chan?”

  
“You’re starting like your mother, Yogi,” she laughed softly.

  
Yogi ignored it. “I’m buying them. And you better take them before I waste money!” He smiled happily.

  
And really there were things more worth to be bothered about than getting some clothes. Gareki shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

  
“Thank you, Gareki-kun!”

  
Gareki merely shrugged again.

* * *

  
It wasn’t exactly hard to find – Yogi’s home it is.

  
It was just unbelievable that Yogi’s family lived there. He pulled out the key, never ceasing to chat with them. It was a timeless mansion. The lawn was tidily cut, the flowers clearly well cared for.  
“You live here?” Gareki asked, carefully.

  
“Sure do!” Yogi answered lightly, “My mother wasn’t amused when I pulled out her flowers as toddler!”

  
Tsukumo laughed with him. “You always insisted they were weeds, your mother tried to show you the difference so often, but you ceased to see the difference until they got you your own flower bed!”

  
“Well, I still have it. So it was worth the investment.” He huffed slightly and pushed the front gates open. “But you can talk. You helped me, Tsukumo-chan. You are my partner in crime.”

  
Gareki watched there exchange, somehow feeling glad he got them back together. He looked away. He really shouldn’t care.

  
“Gareki-kun?” Yogi asked, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have… You’re our friend too!” He put his hands on Gareki’s shoulders (he couldn’t help but noticing how warm they were). “Let’s make tones of new memories together!”

  
“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Gareki answered, shrugging his hands off. “How do you live anyway, Tsukumo?”

  
She blinked for a moment, and Gareki recognized that it was an odd question to ask. “In a loft close to our school…”

  
Gareki snorted slightly. “Thought so.” The school was in an expensive neighbourhood, so—he shook his head.

  
“What’s up Gareki-kun?” Yogi inquired.

  
“It’s stupid to be here. I should head home,” he spoke, already in the middle of turning around.

  
“No turning back here. Mum cooked your wish for lunch, so you will be there.” He held Gareki’s wrist in a death grip.

  
“What the fuck are you—“ Gareki started. “Look. I do not belong here.”

  
Yogi huffed. “You do now. Welcome to your second home, you nerd.” He turned around and continued pulling Gareki towards the front door. “Be nice and don’t embarrass yourself will you?” He asked ringing the bell.

  
It took a moment, a moment in which Yogi didn’t let go of Gareki and Tsukumo walked up behind them. Then the door opened. Yogi’s mother sure was a sight, even if – considering Yogi’s age, she couldn’t be that young anymore. Long blond locks fell past her shoulders, violet eyes, the same shade of Yogi’s sparkled with joy. “Welcome home, Yogi!” she greeted him, with a gentle smile, “And Tsukumo-chan is here too!” Her eyes wandered to Gareki. “Good afternoon, I don’t think we’ve met yet. I’m Yogi’s mother, Miyuki.”

  
“Good afternoon,” Gareki answered immediately, bowing softly. “My name is Gareki. It’s nice to meet you.”

  
“Gareki-kun, huh?” she said, throwing a short gaze to Yogi, “My son had told us a lot about you. He forgot to mention what a polite boy you are.”

  
“I see…”

 

* * *

  
Gareki was glad that after that their encounter was cut short by Yogi. Still holding Gareki’s wrist in his hand, he mentioned that he wanted to show Gareki his room before lunch and his mother just ushered them upstairs. It was somewhat nice, Gareki thought, if parents had the luxury to stay home a bit more. But that was exactly what it was: A luxury.

  
Like… Yogi’s room. It was easily twice the size of Gareki’s living room. And he really didn’t want to know why Yogi needed a bed that big. Or a couch in his room. “Are you thirsty?” Yogi asked Gareki out of the blue and he looked at him, seeing that Tsukumo already had a cup of something hot.

  
“I’m fine,” he answered.

  
Yogi narrowed his eyes watching him for a moment. “You don’t… look fine. Do you want to sit down?”

  
Gareki shrugged. “Did you plan on standing until your mother finished lunch?”

  
“No!” Yogi answered, clearly embarrassed. “Of course not. Make yourself at home, Gareki-kun!”

  
Gareki almost snorted while he carefully sat down on the pristine white couch. If only that was so easy.

 

* * *

  
It was odd for Gareki to sit at a table with so many people. Granted, he should be used to it, but he kept away from the school cafeteria to avoid the people.

  
Because really, who would be happy with so many people around oneself?

  
Here it were less, Yogi’s parents, his little sister, Tsukumo and him. But Gareki really wasn’t used to so many people either. He forced himself to keep his cool, counting down to ten over and over. But he still found himself nervous and he was, rather honestly annoyed by his feelings.

  
Yogi had just finished their tale of the morning, not leaving out a single thing, his parents listening attentive as if he was telling an actual tale. Tsukumo added a few thoughts here and there as did Yogi’s sister.  
“What about you, Gareki-kun?” Yogi’s father asked him rather sudden.

  
“Excuse me?” Gareki encountered, unsure what he wanted to hear.

  
Yogi’s father laughed (and Gareki suddenly knew from where Yogi’s laughter came). “I mean, what’s your side of the story? Did Yogi just decide you had to come? Did you have fun?”

  
“Yogi promised me food if I were to come. But it was alright, I guess,” he answered softly.

  
Said person blushed. “You’re never agreeing to go anywhere if I don’t promise you food.”

  
Gareki shrugged it off. “Humans need food to survive, you know?”

  
“Yes, I—“

  
“Do you like the food?” Yogi’s mother interrupted her son. “Yogi mentioned it was some time since you had curry. I really hope I hit your taste.”

  
“It’s really delicious, thank you for preparing the food. I know it must have been a lot of work.” He answered honestly, throwing Yogi an amused gaze, but Yogi just pouted. “Yogi insisted that I could make a wish, I hope it wasn’t too much work.”

  
She shook her head. “Not at all, Gareki-kun,” she answered softly. “Feel free to come again every time when you keep Yogi on the track, you’re keeping him on.”

  
Gareki raised an eyebrow. “I’m not keeping him on any track. He’s just… trailing me.”

  
“Then thank you for offering a trail he could follow,” she said. “With the company he kept before, we weren’t sure what would become out of him.”

  
Gareki nodded. “Tsukumo and I agreed that he kept bad company already. Now, he’s accompanying me though. I doubt that that’s better.” He shrugged. “He won’t take no for an answer.”

  
“I honestly doubt that,” Yogi’s father told him, “You can’t possibly be worse company than them.”

  
“I’m living in Karasuna. I’m nowhere the company someone like Yogi or Tsukumo should look for.”

  
The mortified look Yogi’s mother had was probably agreement. “You poor boy,” she mumbled. Or it wasn’t. “No child should have to grow up there, it’s barely…”

  
“It’s is better than the slums,” Gareki said in a manner of fact, narrowing his eyes. “Been there, done that. Karasuna is at least dry.” He wore a weird smile. “Nothing really compares to the slums.”

  
Yogi’s mother looked like she was about to cry, but Gareki was making a point here. “Yogi mentioned you were a classmate…” Yogi’s father started, throwing Yogi a warning gaze.

  
“I am,” Gareki agreed. “That crappy school was so mortified they lost in the science competition twice in a row against me, so they offered me a full scholarship and I’m getting money for attending it. Who’s ever heard about that?” He shrugged again. “Besides it’ll look good on my college applications.”

  
“You must be awful smart then,” Yogi’s mother mentioned, “Not that Yogi told us anything different, but to win the science competition twice? That’s impressive.” Gareki looked on his food, avoiding eye contact. “I’m glad, Yogi befriended you.”

* * *

  
Gareki thought this whole encounter had been weird. How could they insist he was good company?

  
Yogi just seemed worried afterwards and Gareki almost apologized. But he hadn’t told anything he had promised Yogi not to tell, so there was no reason. None at all.

  
“What’s bothering you,” Gareki finally snapped.

  
Yogi suddenly seemed a whole lot smaller. “Just… How are you living?”

  
He needed a moment. “You mean what my home life is looking like?” Yogi nodded. “There isn’t a whole lot. My parent works two jobs to keep us above the water, used to be three, but the scholarship smoothed that a bit. Since she isn’t home a lot, I’m taking care of the flat. It isn’t much, but its home.”

  
“You mentioned, you went shopping,” Yogi asked softly.

  
He rolled his eyes. “I’m cooking dinner too, if that’s your question.”

  
“You’re so… dedicated, Gareki-kun… It must be hard,” he mumbled.

  
“Right now? It’s the best I’ve ever known it to be.” He laughed softly. “You’re just too spoiled.”

 

* * *

  
The next time they saw each other – another crappy Monday, Yogi was in school shortly after him. And he was packed. “First of all, you forgot the clothes I bought you,” he started before Gareki had even seen him. “Second of all, mum made you lunch. Don’t complain I never even saw you eating in school. Third, she bought you clothes, so you better take them home as well. Congratulations to your third parent by the way and also good morning.”

  
Gareki raised his eyebrows. “Excuse me? I’m not a charity event.” He told him.

  
Yogi shook his head. “That’s not it, not at all. She does that to all of my friends – the ones she likes at least. She constantly bought Tsukumo clothes when we were kids, but when Miu was born she somewhat stopped, but never really.” He shrugged, “I dunno why though.”

  
“I suppose because they look similar,” Gareki muttered.

  
“What? They don’t—“

  
“If I hadn’t known better I would think Tsukumo was your sister as well, maybe a year younger than you. Marginally different hair colour, the same eye colour, and even some of your facial expressions seem similar.”

  
Yogi looked utterly weirded out. “I really can’t see it…”

  
“Yeah,” Gareki said simply, “because you know each other your entire lives.”

  
Yogi was silent as he set the bag down on Gareki’s table. “You are really weird sometimes, but I’m going to ignore it right now.”

 

* * *

  
Yogi had blinked when his mother seemed even fonder of Gareki at dinner. He had thought she was rather fond of him before, but thought he might just be imagining it because his other friends weren’t to her liking.

  
This time even Yogi’s father thought it was a change, so Yogi couldn’t exactly be wrong about it. His father didn’t have his subjectivity towards it after all.

  
“He wrote me a thank you letter,” she told them happily when the question came up. “Such a difficult life, but he’s still so polite. You should really invite him over again soon, Yogi!”

  
“Alright…?” Yogi answered, “I’m not sure I can get him to agree though. He’s got a rather… cat-ish charm? Sometimes shrugging me off for no reason besides that he doesn’t want to have people around him.”

  
“He’s probably just not used to a lot of people,” his mother told him gently. I’m sure he doesn’t mean to hurt you.”

  
Yogi shook his head. “I’m not hurt by it, it’s just the way he is. It’s endearing sometimes.”

  
“Endearing?” Yogi’s father asked slowly. “How so?”

  
“Cat-ish charm, I said. That also means times where he approaches people. Have you ever seen water at its triple point? Gareki is so amazing, even the science teacher is amazed most of the times. Of course, Gareki just keeps mentioning that the school is ridiculously overfunded.” He laughed. “But then the teacher wouldn’t be amazed, right? This year’s science competition goes to Gareki as well, I’m sure! He’s just brilliant.”

  
“I’m sure he’ll win,” his mother agreed. “He loves science a lot, doesn’t he?”

  
Yogi seemed pensive for a moment. “I think… he loves it more than everything. He sometimes loses sight of whom he’s talking with when the subject comes. He surely doesn’t assume I know what he’s talking about.” He smiled softly. “It’s a beauty to see people talk about things they are really passionate about.”

  
“Can’t you just try to invite him over again?” his mother asked him again.

  
Yogi seemed slightly amused. “Believe me; I’m not stopping, mum. But I’m not going to carry him here, the scratch marks might be too deep.”

  
“Well, then I’m holding my fingers crossed,” she told him, winking softly.

 

* * *

  
It really wasn’t how Yogi would have imagined Gareki’s next visit. This really wasn’t a stage in which he wanted to see Gareki ever. But that wasn’t for him to decide. “Mum?” he called into his home.

  
“Honey? You’re back—“ she looked at Gareki who had all but passed out from fever by now. “—early…”

  
“I don’t know where exactly he lives, but he still needed somewhere to have a break. He didn’t say anything either until I asked him whether he was all right and he was already burning up then and only mentioned he had a little cold. He’s feverish!”

  
“Calm down, Yogi,” his mother spoke gently. “But him on your bed will you? I’ll call a doctor. Try to look for a mobile in his bag, if we’re lucky, he saved his mother’s number or even his home.”

  
“Will do!” he exclaimed and seized Gareki up to carry him up the stairs into his room.

 

* * *

  
The doctor didn’t have many information they didn’t have. A cold with fever. He should drink a lot and stay in bed. Yogi nodded, he was listening even though, he knew it all, how many times had Miu been down with a fever or he himself? Countless times.

  
But this was something else, surely. The doctor mentioned that Gareki should probably eat more, but also that, Yogi had known. So he settled down with the number he had found in Gareki’s mobile, slowly starting to compose a text message.

  
‘Gareki fell sick in school and I didn’t have his address, so I took him home with me for now. Would you kindly send me the address?’ He considered using and kaomoji to express how sorry he was, but stopped himself. He was texting an adult, not even one he knew well, thus he settled with, ‘Best of wishes, Yogi’. He actually expected a quick reaction, but after two minutes of starring on his phone there still hadn’t been one.

  
He bit on his bottom lip, maybe she had put her mobile on silent for work. He slipped his mobile into his pocket and walked over to his bed. Gareki’s fever was still high, high enough for him to not even be responsive. Out of some thought he wasn’t exactly sure where it had come from he ran his fingers though the silken black hair. “You’ll be healthy in no time, Gareki-kun!” he mumbled.

  
The only answer was a soft groan. But was Gareki actually leaning into his touch? If only a little bit? His cheeks heated up and he could suddenly hear his heart. As if he was burned he pulled his hand away, gaze resting on Gareki.

  
“Everything is going to be alright…” he mumbled, more to himself than to Gareki.

 

* * *

  
At dinner, Yogi finally received a reply. Normally, he wouldn’t look at it while they were eating together, the annoyed gaze of his father that just met his excusing one, was reason enough for that. “Gareki’s mother asks whether he can stay here for the night, because she’ll be back late.”

  
“Of course he can!” his mother assured him. “You’re going to have to sleep in the guestroom then, but I am sure, we can arrange that.”

  
Yogi nodded. “It won’t be a problem at all. I’m just going to text her back and then put the mobile very far away.”

  
His father nodded. “You do that.”

  
Yogi knew that it was probably childish, but he was glad, his father agreed. The gaze was somewhat too punishing for his opinion.

 

* * *

  
Gareki was somewhat better the next day, not really good, but at least conscious enough to eat something and exchange a few words with them.

  
Yogi checked on him right before heading off to school. “How are you feeling?” he asked, carefully sitting down on his bedside. “Better I hope?”

  
“It’s less blurry,” Gareki mentioned, slowly sitting up. “I still don’t understand why I woke up in your bed. It’s comfy.” Gareki paused. “I didn’t mean to say that.”

  
“I didn’t know where you live, and you don’t exactly come with an address tag.” Yogi answered him, slowly – slower than he normally spoke. “And I didn’t want to… leave you at the infirmary, you wouldn’t have been able to make your way home later that day.” His gaze fell on the clock. “I have to go to school now, I’ll see you in the afternoon.”

  
“Today is science club.” Gareki told him. “It’s Tuesday.”

  
“Yes, but I’m not a member, so I can skip if I don’t want to go. I’ll excuse you, don’t worry. Sleep some more will you?” He nudged him slightly, so Gareki fell back on the bed.

  
“Fine. I’ll just abuse your bed.”

  
“Use, not abuse,” Yogi corrected. “It’s a perfectly fine bed, you know?”

  
“Yeah, now shoo.” Gareki rolled on the side facing away from Yogi, hugging the pillow tightly.

  
“Later then, Gareki-kun…”

 

* * *

  
It’s odd how small Gareki looked when he was sleeping. The intimidating frown disappeared, the face utterly tranquil. Yogi knew the picture he had taken, was probably going to make him creepy.

  
He sighed. Gareki was really pretty. Sharp intelligent eyes, a cool demeanour, quick wit, honesty…

  
“What’s on your mind, Yogi?” his mother asked when she came into the room. “Are you getting sick too?”

  
“No…” he pulled the soft blanket over his head. “I’m totally fine.”

  
His mother stopped in her tracks and whatever movement she had done. “Who?”

  
“I am not sick,” Yogi groaned. “I’m fine.”

  
“No,” his mother told him. “Who caught your heart? Nobody… we won’t like, I hope.”

  
“Nobody. Just leave me alone, mum,” Yogi mumbled, blushing bright red, burrowing even more under the blanket. “And be quiet.”

  
“I’m curious, Yogi. Talk to me,” she settled down next to her son. “Please, honey, talk to me.”

  
Her hand rested on his back and Yogi gave a strangled sound. He had lied to his parents. And they still didn’t know. He hated it. He hated it. He desperately wanted to come clean, but now he had pulled Gareki into his mess and he couldn’t. Couldn’t.

  
“Everything is going to be alright, honey. I’m sure, I…” his mother spoke, but that only made Yogi feel even worse.

  
“I lied,” Yogi suddenly told her, closing his eyes, feeling the tears escaping his eyes running down his cheeks. “I lied to you and dad.” He made himself even smaller under the covers. “And I dragged Gareki-kun into this mess and made him promise not to tell you and he didn’t and now he’s in and…!”

  
“It’s alright honey,” his mother mumbled, soothingly rubbing his back. “What did you lie about?”

  
Yogi slowly came out from the blanket, watching his mother for a long time before answering. “Gareki-kun was… my tutor… The math test I got back on dad’s birthday I just really didn’t want to mess it up and so I asked him and he agreed reluctantly and he’s still watching after my study time, but you just seem so glad I’m doing good in school and… please don’t be mad!”

  
“Why should I be mad?” his mother asked, pulling him into a reassuring hug. “How does that make your grades worse? I’m still proud of you, I’ll always be, honey. Asking for help when you need it isn't a shameful thing to do.”

 

* * *

  
Well, Yogi had known his mother would tell his father and expected a remark of him, but nothing came. Besides their praise over his next grade.

  
Gareki shrugged when he had told him, “I told you they wouldn’t mind. It’s not as if I’m writing your exams for you – then they probably would mind quite a bit.” He took another bit of the food Yogi’s mother had prepared for him. “It’s not like you do anything debatable either to concentrate, if you were one to hype up on caffeine pills they’d mind it too. ‘Cause it wouldn’t be good for your health.”

  
“Yeah, but…” Yogi mumbled, “I still didn’t do it on my own.”

  
Gareki narrowed his eyes. “Who is doing it on their own? You needing my help to study either means that the teacher doesn’t explain it on a way that’s suitable for you or – and that would make more sense to me – you never learnt to study. You probably had an easy time in elementary.”

  
“How do you-?”

  
“Because you never learnt to study. Don’t ask questions I already answered.” Gareki huffed. “Where is Tsukumo anyway? Your talking buddy isn’t here, why don’t you mind?”

  
Yogi chuckled. “Tsukumo-chan is with Kiichi-chan. I like talking to you though. You’re good company, Gareki-kun.” He leaned slightly over to him. “How about we head to mine after school without telling her? You’re probably good at videogames.”

  
“Mh? No, I’ve never played them,” Gareki answered. “What’s for dinner anyway?”

  
Yogi’s eyes sparkled. “You’re actually coming? That’s so-!”

  
“I’m considering,” he interrupted him simply. “So what’s for dinner?”

  
Yogi seemed pensive for a moment. “Today is Thursday… you know I think today is teak…” He narrowed his eyes, then shook his head, and pulled out his mobile. “I’ll ask mum.”

  
“I can’t come then—“ Gareki started the logical.

  
“Don’t underestimate my mother, Gareki-kun. Even if you don’t like it it’ll be delicious—Hey, mum!” Yogi was suddenly distracted by his mother picking up the phone. “Gareki-kun was thinking about coming over, but wondered what dinner will be? … Yeah, I thought so! … I love you too! Bye!” He threw the phone inside his school bag and Gareki almost whined at the sight. The display would be utterly destroyed in a few months and wasn’t that Yogi’s new phone too? “I was right, today is steak and mum told me to invite you over which is now done!” He grinned like an idiot.

  
“Alright…” Gareki mumbled. “But only because your mother invited me.”

  
Yogi rolled his eyes. “I told you once, congratulations to your third parent.”

  
“Second actually.” Gareki mentioned nonchalant. “I only ever had one parent.”

  
“Oh,” Yogi whispered. “Oh, I’m so sorry, I just assumed, I—I am so sorry, Gareki-kun.”

  
Gareki only shrugged again. “I only wanted to mention it once. You don’t have to be sorry either, it’s not your fault, and it’s mine.”

  
“Still…” Yogi mumbled, “I’m sorry to bring it up. It must have been hard…”

  
“I never met my other parent. They didn’t want me.” Something about that struck Yogi – struck him hard.

  
Yogi suddenly couldn’t help himself, he just pulled Gareki into a hug. Sure, he took care not to waste their carefully prepared meal, but he didn’t care as much for Gareki’s dignity. “I’m always going to be here for you…”

  
“Don’t be ridiculous, in two years, we’ll be apart. It doesn’t matter what you say now.” Gareki seemed way too sure of that.

  
“Even when we’re apart we’ll still be friends. That’s a promise. You can call me every time!” Yogi exclaimed, hugging him even tighter. “I’m never going to leave you alone.”

  
Gareki sighed softly. “Yes, yes, alright. Would you mind letting go of me now? People are starring.”

  
“You’re nice to hug. Lemme.” Gareki could hear the smile out of Yogi’s sentence.

  
“But I’m still hungry,” he complained lightly. “Your mother was nice enough to prepare something for me.”

  
“My mother is pretty amazing, I know. She was a badass manager before she had me, now she only manages the family. Sometimes she says it was easier to manage a politician’s life than our family life.” He laughed, but slowly let go of Gareki. “I think that’s just because she can’t leave it anywhere.”

  
“She decided being a homemaker was more fulfilling?” Gareki asked carefully. “Must be nice to be able to make such a decision.”

  
“I think so too,” Yogi mumbled. “I can’t imagine my life being different, I’d drown in responsibility. You’re really amazing, Gareki-kun. I wouldn’t be able to do half of the things you do.”

  
“I guess I can take that as a compliment…” He took another bite of his food, leaning against the chairs backrest. “Lately I’m rather… in luck.”

  
“Me too. My life hasn’t gone so smooth in ages. I’m glad I met you, Gareki-kun. It’s nice to be around you.” He smiled lightly. “You’re my best friend, there isn’t anything worth risking what we have.”

  
Gareki didn’t answer.

 

* * *

  
Yogi’s mother greeted Gareki almost as happily as she greeted Yogi, which still seemed odd to him, but Gareki put on his best smile and greeted her back.

  
“How was school?” she asked them. “You wrote a test today.”

  
“It was alright?” Yogi said throwing a gaze at Gareki. “It was pretty simple.”

  
Gareki nodded. “If you don’t have 90% I’m going to judge you.”

  
Yogi spluttered. “That would be the highest I’d have in a test since the fifth grade!”

  
Gareki rolled his eyes. “You’ll see.” Then he turned towards Yogi’s mother and bowed softly. “Thank you for the lunch, it was really delicious. But please excuse us, we still have homework.”

  
“Of course, Gareki-kun! I’ll bring you drinks and snacks in a few minutes, so get comfortable first.” She told them and turned around towards what Gareki knew was the kitchen.

 

* * *

  
Gareki was still utterly amazed when Yogi’s mother actually came in with drinks and snacks, assuring her that she wouldn’t have needed to, Yogi and he had functioning legs too. She just continued thinking that this was way too charming and lightly ruffled Gareki’s hair. “You’re welcome, Gareki-kun!”

  
“Still…” Gareki mumbled. “You really don’t have to go out of your way because I’m here.” He averted his gaze. “You’ve been doing this a lot and I feel like a thank you doesn’t begin to cover everything.”

  
“Well, then,” she told him, humming lost in thought for a moment. “Please keep Yogi on the right track. You brought my family closer again by helping him, don’t drop him again just because he’ll hurt you once.”

  
“He paid me for helping him, I didn’t just decide, that I’ll help him just like that,” Gareki answered, biting on his bottom lip.

  
“You’ve been his friend for some time now, haven’t you? I don’t care how you got friends – or why. I just know that you made Yogi see what was wrong with his actions. He didn’t pay you for giving him a piece of your mind. But that is what I’m thankful for.” Her hand was warm on Gareki’s cheek, so incredibly warm.

  
He leaned into it right before pulling away and averting his gaze entirely. “Alright…” he mumbled, letting himself fall on Yogi’s couch.

 

* * *

  
They finished their homework quickly.

  
Which all things considered only made sense, Yogi wasn’t struggling with these subjects anymore and Gareki never had. There wasn’t any sort of test ahead either.

  
Gareki listened attentive while Yogi explained the controls while they were spread out on Yogi’s bed. He nodded slightly. “I think I got it.”

 

* * *

  
Yogi was rather hyped at dinner. Gareki blinked slightly, thinking about his mother’s earlier words. “I really can’t imagine how it was before. Yogi always seems to be on a sugar rush.”

  
His mother chuckled softly. “I’d rather have that then him being all broody and telling us that we wouldn’t care what he did all day when asked.”

  
Gareki watched Yogi for a moment, who grinned at him with mirth. “Broody? I really can’t imagine that. Like at all.” He poked Yogi’s cheek. “Don’t trouble your family; be happy you have one like that. Treasure it.”

  
“Will do, Gareki-kun!” he chattered. “And you come over for lunch more, it isn’t the same without you!”

  
Gareki snorted. “You still know that I’m not actually part of your family.”

  
Yogi shook his head. “Friends are the chosen family. You already are part of my family.”

  
“I never really had friends before.” Gareki shrugged lightly. “So don’t lie to me.”

  
“I wouldn’t do that, I treasure you too much!” Yogi exclaimed, looking as if he was ready to pull Gareki into a tight hug. He probably was too.

  
Gareki didn’t answer. A small huff was all Yogi got, but it was enough, he was sure he could melt Gareki’s cold demeanour a little more in time. He had already done good progress.

 

* * *

  
Just… some things Yogi never expected.

  
How close Gareki had become, how Gareki didn’t mind anymore when he cuddled close on his bed or didn’t pull away from a hug. Frankly, Gareki still wasn’t touchy, He never initiated any sort of body contact, but he had stopped pulling away from it too.

  
Yogi counted it as a win. Tsukumo was amused. “So, what’s going on between you and Gareki?” she asked as soon as Gareki had bit his farewell and was out of sight.

  
“Come again?” Yogi asked, confused. “We’re friends?”

  
She chuckled, amused. “Some friends you are. You sleep on his lap.”

  
“So?” Yogi asked, running a hand though his hair.

  
“You share food and use the same cup…”

  
“We’re good friends?” Yogi tried.

  
Tsukumo raised an eyebrow. “You want to get into each other’s pants.”

  
“Excuse me? We don’t even know Gareki’s preference.” Yogi crossed his arms. “I think you’re overthinking this. We’re just friends, really.”

  
“I am not so sure of that,” Tsukumo mentioned, “He wouldn’t allow anyone else what he allows you.”

  
Yogi’s cheeks were deep red. “Go home, Tsukumo. I don’t want to talk about my love life.”

  
“Just because you don’t want to be honest to yourself,” she told him and pulled him into a hug. “You should confess you know? Gareki would never on his own. I’m going home now. Good night!”

 

* * *

  
As if it hadn’t been awkward enough these last few weeks, Tsukumo only had to increase the awkwardness by making Yogi overthink his every action.

  
Gareki leaned slightly over the table, paying him attention as he spoke, but suddenly Yogi faltered, stopped speaking, and looked at the table in shame. He really liked Gareki – probably. But how does one start.  
“I’ve been wondering…” Yogi started, completely having forgotten about their earlier subject. Gareki’s eyes were narrowed; maybe already aware of how jumpy Yogi’s thoughts had been whenever he saw these blue orbs.

  
“That—well, isn’t anything new. Is that a friendship question or something I would have been paid for?” Gareki answered, grinning slightly. “Go on.”

  
Yogi rubbed the back of his neck. “…neither, but rather friendship?”

  
“Well, I don’t know. It would be easier to answer if I knew it.” Gareki took a sip from Yogi’s cup. Waiting.

  
“Have you ever been in a relationship?” And Yogi wished Gareki had taken his own. He was covered in orange juice. Granted it was the freshly pressed kind and Gareki was still coughing – but still… “Ew…”

  
“What kind of question is that?!” Gareki all but screamed at him.

  
“I’ve just been wondering…” Yogi wasn’t sure what else to answer. “You don’t have to answer.”

  
“No,” Gareki answered curtly, wiping his mouth. “At least it’s your juice.”

  
“No, I mean it. You don’t have to—“

  
Gareki sighed. “But I just did. No, I’ve never been in one.”

  
That… was kind of cute. “Whoa. I didn’t expect that,” Yogi answered falling against his bed. He hadn’t hoped that either, because this gave him no hint of Gareki’s preferences. “You liked someone before, right?”

  
“Can we drop this subject? There has never been one I wanted to risk,” he groaned falling against the bed next to Yogi, slightly against his shoulder. “So who’s been your last conquest?”

  
“That’s an awkward question too.” Yogi buried his nose in Gareki’s hair. “I don’t really do conquests. I prefer being in a relationship.”

  
Gareki laughed softly. “You aren’t in one now.”

  
“I’d like to be, but the person I’ve got my sight set on is of limits…” he mumbled.

  
“Who would be off limits to you? You’re wealthy from a good family, kind and handsome. I really can’t think of anyone.”

  
Yogi chuckled. “You wouldn’t. You’re the amazing one though.”

  
“She’s got to be really fortunate if you think she’s got off limits,” Gareki mumbled.

  
“Whoever decided I liked a girl?” Yogi answered, clearly amused. “Ever crossed your mind that Tsukumo might not be the only queer person in this friendship?”

  
“Somebody got to be straight. And you had girlfriends in the past,” Gareki declared, before bringing some distance between himself and Yogi.

  
It broke Yogi’s heart, but at the same time made it beat quicker. He could have a chance. But would it be worth risking a friendship that close? “I don’t really care about the gender at all. I’ve had boyfriends too.” He watched how Gareki looked at him with curiosity.

  
“Your parents don’t mind?”

  
Yogi seemed pensive. “It always depends on who I bring home, the gender isn’t important, the character is.” He chuckled slightly. “This one time I brought a girl home, who was totally awestruck with me and my family and urgh, she wasn’t talking about anything different than that, really. My parents sat me down and told me they expected a boyfriend next. Maybe I’ve got a better taste in men. I think they can handle it pretty well.”

  
“That sounds like in movies,” Gareki mumbled. “Being accepted for being you.”

  
“It’s part of being a family, I guess. They raised me my whole life, they decided to have me. It’s their responsibility to love me.” Yogi slowly cuddled against Gareki again. “Children never asked to be born, their parents decided it.”

  
He could feel how uneven Gareki’s breath was. But when he looked at his face, he couldn’t detect any of his emotional tumult. “Not every child is that fortunate, Yogi. I’ve seen… children being thrown out of their home for being queer, running away because their parents wouldn’t stop to try 'straightening' them.”

  
“…Gareki-kun?” Yogi asked, brushing Gareki’s fringe out of his eyes to see them, maybe trying to understand a little more from this world that he wasn’t quite part of.

  
“I’m scared…” it was nothing more than a horse whisper not even meant for Yogi’s ears.

  
Yogi sat up and pulled Gareki on his lap. “You’re save here. You’ll always be save here. Whenever you don’t know where to go, you’ll always be welcome. Please don’t be scared. I’m going to do everything.”

  
Gareki shook his head, not looking anywhere like he felt. Still relaxed, not at all tensed or nervous, not even scared. If he hadn’t known any better, he would call it an act, but Gareki never said things he didn’t mean. “It’s alright. Love is ridiculous anyway.”

  
Yogi shook his head. “It isn’t Gareki. Everybody should have the chance to be in love. Maybe you don’t think straight, but it’s an amazing feeling.” He carefully rubbed Gareki’s back.

  
“When you get this of limits person you like, will you still talk to me sometimes?” Gareki whispered, pressing his face into Yogi’s shirt.

  
“I’d like to think so,” Yogi answered with weird smile. “It would be really awkward otherwise.” He squeezed Gareki a little. “But don’t worry your pretty head about that. I won’t date someone who’s of limits.”

  
Gareki narrowed his eyes. “I still don’t understand how—“ He stopped talking, looking up at Yogi. “You’ve got no taste whatsoever. You fell in love with someone who’s straight?”

  
Yogi snorted softly. “It’s not that. We just have something I wouldn’t ever want to risk.”

  
“Then they aren’t off limits. You want to be in a relationship, so go get it and him.” Gareki was still sitting on his lap, so close to him, Yogi could feel his breath on his skin.

  
But he couldn’t lose his cool. “That would be like confessing to you, Gareki-kun. What would you say?”

  
“That you’ve got a misguided taste.”

  
It was said so flatly and at the same time honest, Yogi blinked. “Come again?” he asked, completely flabbergasted. “I don’t think I heard you right.”

  
“You would have a misguided taste, you could do better, much much better than me. It would be like… like a prince asking out a street rat.” He poked Yogi in the cheek when he just stared at him, utterly confused.

  
“Gareki-kun… That isn’t… not at all…”

  
Gareki laughed softly. “That’s nothing but the truth and you know it. Most of the time I don’t even understand why you want to be friends with me. I don’t fit into your circle of friends – at all. I don’t have a personality that fits to your bright attitude – I am gloomy.” He snorted softly. “But I’m pretty smart am I not?”

  
“You’re more than just smart, Gareki-kun…”

  
This broke Yogi’s heart.  
In a few thousand pieces.  
All these spoken words…

  
Yogi took a deep breath, and then shook his head. “I hate it that you talk like this. It breaks my heart.” His resolve had all but shattered, no more tiptoeing around. “I really like you, you’re the best that has happened to me in ages. Don’t talk yourself down. Not now, not ever, not again, not again, because I will fight you. You’re utterly amazing. Sure, you’re smart, but you’re so much more.”

  
Gareki didn’t seem like he understood what he was trying to tell him, although some sort of understanding shone in his eyes. “A hypothetical action, Yogi. Can an action be hypothetical?”

  
“Wha—“

  
_Clumsy_. Was the first thought, probably the last one too. This was something Gareki was clumsy in. Yogi’s hands threaded through the silken hair, pulling him closer, kissing back.

  
Amazing. Was the second one after a while. Gareki was panting lightly, out of breath and looked ruffled. He was even blushing. Yogi was sure of it.

  
Gareki look at him, fierce eyes and everything already back on defence. He hadn’t seen Gareki that much on guard since he tutored Yogi. “Hypothetically.”

  
Yogi’s mind was at a loss for a moment, a moment long enough for Gareki to stand up. “Wait!” He pulled Gareki back down. “I love you!”

  
Gareki seemed amused, “Didn’t we talk about ‘hypothetically?” He sunk back to the ground next to Yogi. “It makes sense though what you said earlier about being of limits. Your parents sure wouldn’t like someone like me.” He grinned weirdly. “Let’s stay friends and just forget all about that.”

  
“No,” Yogi spoke. “That isn’t going to happen. You were of limits because I wasn’t sure whether confessing was worth to risk our friendship, but this already happened.” He huffed slightly. “How is next Saturday at two with you?”

  
“I’m not planning anything, but what are you planning?” Gareki asked. “We can’t just decide to—“

  
Yogi inclined his head. “We’re going on a date. You can still say no afterwards, but you threw all caution into the air to answer me. I am not taking the invitation back.”

  
Gareki was silent for a moment. But then… “Alright. One date is all you get.”

  
“You mean one date is all I need to persuade you that a relationship is something nice to be in.” He smiled and pressed their foreheads together, humming softly. “We’ll have lots of fun together, I promise.”

  
Gareki snorted softly. “It can’t be as good as you make it sound. You probably just want a cuddle buddy. I heard dogs were great for that.”

  
“I like cats more…” Yogi mumbled softly. And then out of the blue, Yogi pressed their lips together for another kiss. “My parents don’t like the idea of having pets.”

  
Gareki snorted once more. “Just how random is that?”

  
“Saturday at two. Meet me at the library?” Yogi asked, running a hand through Gareki’s hair.

  
Gareki shrugged softly. “I don’t have any other plans.”

  
“That already works in our favour.”

  
“Ours?”

  
“Yes, definitely.”

 

* * *

  
“Miu!” Yogi called into the hallway, “Please help me for a second!”

  
He heard her door open. “You know you can knock too!” she called back, looking out of her door, over to Yogi’s room. “Who are you meeting up with?”

  
“A date. Now help me. Is this fine?” He stepped into the floor between their rooms. “Not too childish? Not to bright?”

  
“Maybe a tad too…” she stopped talking, starring at her brother. “And here I thought you had it bad for Gareki-san.” Miu came over into his room and rummaged through the closet. “You know, I’m not sure whether I like that you’re dating again. What does Gareki-san think about it?”

  
“Gareki-kun was fine with it…?” Yogi told her, seeming pensive. “He agreed, so I think he was.”

  
She nodded. “Then I’m going to help you. Your belt is not the right colour for the shirt. Try this one.” She offered him another belt and Yogi rose an eyebrow.

  
“They look the same to me.”

  
She rolled her eyes, but kept smiling. “Everything looks the same to you.”

  
“That isn’t true!” Yogi exclaimed, but changed the belt anyway. He laughed. “Thank you, Miu.”

  
“If Gareki-san agrees, I would be a foul to disagree. Are you meeting a boy or a girl?”

  
Yogi seemed confused for a moment. “… A boy… are you even listening?”

  
“Of course I am!” she laughed softly. “You’re probably just running way too many thoughts to probably speak. You’re always like a puppy when you’re in love. It’s adorable.”

  
“I don’t want to seem like a puppy, I just…”

  
She chuckled. “If you say ‘I just want to get laid’, I’ll be disappointed.” She started rolling Yogi’s sleeves up. “I want you home tonight with a big sappy grin and all the juicy details, you hear me?”

  
“We’re going to a museum not a striptease bar,” Yogi mumbled, slightly red.

  
Miu starred at him. “Are you sure you don’t want to date Gareki-san?”

  
He shook his head. “Seriously. Are you even listening?”

  
“Of course I am!”

 

* * *

  
As soon as Yogi saw Gareki, he halted for a few moments. He could remember buying these clothes, the washed out and ripped jeans, the soft light blue shirt with the hood. He had just never seen them worn together. He swallowed and made his way over to Gareki, bright smile in place. “Hey, have you waited long?”

  
Against his expectations, Gareki hugged him. “Not at all, but apparently long enough to get hit on.” He laughed softly. “Don’t you dare to let go of my hand until we’re out of sight from that guy over there.”  
“You look good today.” Yogi mumbled, pressing a careful kiss on Gareki’s cheek.

  
“Geez thanks. You look better.” He pulled out of the embrace. “What are you planning on doing with me today?”

  
“Remember wanting to go to the science museum?” Yogi winked softly and entangled their fingers. “I’m not planning on letting go of your hand at all.”

  
There was a blush high on Gareki’s cheek and Yogi died of cute, but he still knew better than to comment.

 

* * *

  
He was in awe. Of everything. It was simple as that.

  
When Gareki had talked about the museum the first time, Yogi had been bored. Because who cares about science?

  
But the more Yogi had gotten to know Gareki, the more, he had learned to appreciate and love it. He could still see himself being bored by everything that only carried the name science, but he also knew the curious side of himself now, that wanted to understand and take apart (even though Gareki seemed concerned whenever Yogi started with it).

  
Gareki pressed his hand lightly and pulled him along towards something special. Yogi wasn’t sure to what exactly, but the happy glint in Gareki’s eyes was enough for him to go everywhere Gareki demanded him to go.

  
“Look,” Yogi heard Gareki suddenly say as they stood at a display. “That’s where the winner of the last science competition get their invention displayed. I really wanted to see it again before the next competition takes place.”

  
Yogi gazed up, swirling colours were all he saw at first, but then he saw it as what it really was. “Is that… is that plasma?”

  
“Yes!” Gareki answered excited, pressing his hand happily. "A little covered up, so nobody hurts their eyes, but plasma."

  
“It’s so pretty!” Yogi couldn’t avert his eyes for a moment. “This is another thing I want in my room…”

  
Gareki laughed softly. “I think the handling would be a bit too difficult for you, it’s—difficult. But if it gets a little more stable it’ll be a nice night light.”

  
“Gareki-kun?” they heard a voice behind them and turned around.

  
“Tokitatsu-san?” Yogi asked softly, turning around with Gareki. “How do you know Gareki-kun?”

  
“Yogi-kun and Gareki-kun together, what a coincidence. I heard you are on the same school now, it’s true then?”

  
Yogi nodded slightly. “It’s been some time, Tokitatsu-san.”

  
“How do you know each other anyway?” Gareki interrupted them suddenly, squeezing Yogi’s hand tightly.

  
“Ouch, his brother was my body guard when I was younger,” he explained. “But how do you know each other?”

  
“You… had a body guard…?” Gareki mumbled confused, “What for? I mean sure your parents have some money… but…”

  
Yogi chuckled softly. “Your head is in the science cloud. It all makes sense now.” And suddenly he started laughing. “This is awesome. I never dated somebody who had no idea who my parents are!”

  
Gareki’s eyes narrowed and he kicked him softly. “Don’t laugh at me. I didn’t laugh at your math problems either.”

  
“Yogi’s father is a public person, a well renowned and liked politician, Gareki-kun,” Tokitatsu answered for him. “He’s mentioned in one newspaper or another almost every day. With him also Yogi-kun or Miumari-chan, growing up their entire life with cameras on them and then not getting recognized must be some sort of surprise.”

  
“A big one,” Yogi said between laughter. “No wonder mum adores you so much, you never recognized her. Woman feel such things.”

  
Gareki seemed embarrassed. “Pft. As if, such things are important. You could have said something if it would have been important.”

  
“Mom always says: Fall in love with someone who loves you back for who you are not for what you are.” Yogi mumbled. “I’m so glad I confessed now. It really is an amazing feeling.” He pulled Gareki into a tight embrace and pecked him on the cheek. “You are so utterly unbelievable.”

  
Gareki huffed softly.

  
“So, what’s your plan for this year’s competition? Two years winning in a row would sure boost your academic career,” Tokitatsu mentioned after watching Yogi cuddling Gareki for some time.

  
“The spark isn’t there yet,” Gareki mentioned. “Besides, it’s only in a few months. I’ll think of something.” He looked at Yogi. “And you better come, I always get a few tickets, but my parent is busy.”

  
“Sure! I’ll be you plus one for everything!” he smiled brightly. “It might just be a little awkward considering that my father night hand out the price to you…” He rubbed the back of his neck. “But it’ll just fine, I’m sure.”

  
“You’re ridiculous,” Gareki spoke gently. “But everything will be quite alright. I get this price, the semester finishes and we’ll be preparing for university.”

  
“Right. The school year is almost over again, it’ll be summer soon…” He sighed, “I still have no idea what to do after school…”

  
“But before the semester finishes, you still stand on the stage once. You haven’t invited me yet.” Gareki grinned slightly. “You’re probably amazing on there. You’re just starting to show the presence that always lingered under your skin.”

  
Yogi winked. “You’re just starting the kindness that lingered under yours, so we’re even.” His gaze wandered to the plasma project. “As far as I understood you created this? It was only fair you won.”

  
“Mine was much smaller, but the principle is mine. This is 99% of the universe.”

  
“You mentioned that when you showed me the triple point… It still seems unreal.”

  
“But that’s what’s making it so interesting,” Gareki interrupted him immediately.

  
“That’s true…”

  
Gareki pulled gently on his hand. “What did you want to see here?” He asked, maybe only now remembering that Yogi had paid the entrance fee.

  
Yogi shook his head, laughing softly. “I saw everything I wanted to see already.” The sparkling enjoyment in Gareki’s eyes were far more than he had expected to see. “Why don’t you show me your favourites?”

  
“My favour—“ He shrugged. “Why not. If you excuse us, Tokitatsu-san?”

  
“Go along, enjoy your date.” He teased, Yogi smiled brightly and thanked him while Gareki only seemed slightly embarrassed by it.

 

* * *

 

 

Soon enough they wandered through the halls, commenting on one thing or the other, when Yogi suddenly asked Gareki. “What are you doing for the competition this year?”

  
“Something with robotics. I’ve run the plans with the teach, but he doesn’t really understand the programming aspect of it, so I’m really alone with it. One grows with their tasks I guess.” He suddenly pulled

Yogi’s hand into a room that was half hidden. “You really should see this exhibit! It’s like a hidden treasure under many.”

  
Yogi chuckled softly, and nodded, eyes wandering through the room. “Whoa, this looks really interesting.”

  
“And you know what the best thing is?” Gareki asked, letting go of Yogi’s hand.

  
“No?”

  
“We’re free to try everything out. Prepare for fun with as safe assumed proto types.”

 

* * *

  
Gareki sunk his teeth into one of the sandwiches Yogi had bought, relishing in the last few sunrays of the autumn. Yogi hummed contently, putting his head on Gareki’s shoulder.

  
“What are you planning next?” Gareki asked softly, pulling Yogi out of his thoughts.

  
“I never planned beyond now, what do you want to do?” His hand rested next to Gareki on the bench. “I’m thinking about just taking a stroll in the city…”

  
“That sounds alright…” Gareki mumbled, “I was still thinking about picking something up today.”

  
“Just alright? I’ll try harder then,” Yogi mumbled oddly determined. “Have you ever been to the arcade?” Gareki blinked slightly and Yogi shook his head. “No, you said you didn’t play videogames until I invited you. Let’s go right after we eat up!”

  
Gareki cracked a small grin and let his head fall on Yogi’s shoulder. “Let’s take a break before without stuffing the sandwiches into our mouths. They are quite tasty.”

  
“Of course, Gareki-kun!”

 

* * *

  
The arcade was brightly lit, colours almost constantly changing and if Yogi had held Gareki’s hand, he probably would have backed out, letting Yogi go in on his own.

  
Yogi gave him an encouraging smile, but didn’t stop. He merely pressed Gareki’s hand and Gareki’s stomach almost flipped. Was that how it felt to be in love?

  
“Good afternoon, Yogi-sama!” a cashier greeted him happily.

  
“Good afternoon!” Yogi greeted back, already pulling out his wallet. “Are there any new games since I was here the last time?” With that, he let go of Gareki and put some bills on the counter.

  
“Of course there are!” he laughed. “You haven’t been here in months, Yogi-same. We try to vary the games every month or so.” Then he carefully counted the bills and Gareki was embarrassed when he realized just how much money Yogi must have already spent today – but before he could really say something, the cashier already put coins on the counter. “Have fun!”

  
“Thanks!” Yogi answered and pocketed the coins before taking Gareki’s hand once more.

  
Yogi led Gareki past machines, that some people seemed to obsess over and towards machines that actually seemed like games. “You like shooting games, so let’s start with one?”

  
Gareki nodded slightly. “I’d like that.”

  
Yogi nodded, smiling brightly. He handed a plastic gun to Gareki and took the other one before putting some coins into it. “Just pointing and pulling the trigger, Gareki-kun!” he chirped happily and Gareki nodded.

* * *

  
Yogi cheered when they had cleared the floor and pulled Gareki into a tight hug. “We did it!”

  
“Yeah,” Gareki answered, hesitating slightly before hugging him back. “We did.”

  
“Let’s clear the next floor too! We’re on a roll!”

* * *

  
In the end, Gareki couldn’t count how many floors they had cleared when suddenly the game ended and the machine threw out coins. “Whoa! I never cleared the entire game with someone before, you really are…” He interrupted himself and instead just buried his nose in Gareki’s neck. “I love you, Gareki-kun.”

  
For some time Gareki was silent, then he mumbled. “I really like you too…” Yogi hoped he had heard right, even though the music was a whole lot louder than what Gareki had said.

 

* * *

  
Gareki was surprisingly good at these games. Yogi blinked, but then laughed. “You’re awesome, Gareki-kun! Thank you so much!” He pressed the bracelet close to his chest, before tying it around his wrist.

  
“You’re welcome…” Gareki mumbled slightly and turned around.

  
Yogi didn’t like that, he wasn’t even sure why, but he just gripped Gareki’s hand and fell into step next to him. “How about we get some dinner next?”

  
“Sure…”

 

* * *

  
When Yogi had invited him for dinner, he hadn’t quite expected Yogi’s proposal to be so… fancy. It was a small bistro, on Yogi apparently knew well enough to immediately lead him to it even though he kept chatting all the time and the fact that the people knew him by his given name only confirmed his suspicion.

  
“Table for two, Yogi-sama?” a waiter asked, the bright smile firmly settled on his face.

  
Yogi nodded softly. “Yes, please.”

  
“You’re in luck then, your favourite table is still free. Please let me take care of your jackets,” the waiter answered and Yogi already started shrugging it from his shoulders.

  
“Thank you,” he told him when he handed him his coat, gaze wandering to Gareki who seemed slightly confused, but had started to take of his coat as well.

  
“Thank you very much…” he mumbled and avoided eye contact.

  
“You’re welcome,” the waiter answered softly and took it. “I’ll be back in a few moments, please be patient.”

  
Yogi smiled slightly and took Gareki’s hand once more as they waited. “Has it been some time since you last ate out?” he whispered softly, catching how Gareki tensed up.

  
“I can’t remember ever eating out like this.” He shrugged slightly. “It’s expensive.”

  
“That’s no good.” Yogi bit on his bottom lip. “I should have taken you somewhere really fancy instead. This is just… my usual go to bistro when mum isn’t in town.” He smiled gently. “The food is really amazing though, you’ll definitely enjoy it.”

  
Gareki’s gaze wandered through the bistro until it settled back on Yogi. “I feel like you spend way too much money today.”

  
“No, I didn’t. Don’t worry, I still have plenty.” He rubbed his neck, “My parents are really not limiting anything about that since we just sometimes spend a lot but normally we don’t. Just enjoy this.” He pressed his forehead against Gareki’s. “That’s all I’m asking.”

  
“I can do that,” Gareki answered him, for a split second pressing his forehead against Yogi’s, then he pulled back. “I’m self-sufficient after all.”

  
Yogi nodded, “That you are. Amazingly so, I wouldn’t even know half of the stuff you take care of.”

  
“If you would like to follow me,” the waiter interrupted them, the menus already in his hands.

  
“Of course,” Yogi answered, offering him a bright smile and they followed the waiter towards a table that was slightly out of sight, calmer than the others were and looked incredibly cosy.

  
The waiter lit the candle and Gareki and Yogi sat down. “Can I already bring you drinks?” the waiter asked.

  
“We’ll start with water, thank you,” Yogi started as he opened the menu the waiter offered him.

  
Gareki followed his lead. And halted. “What sort of bistro is this even?”

  
Yogi looked up from his menu. “Italian why—oh. Trust me enough to let me pick for you?” he offered, winking.

  
“Sure, whatever. Would be a chance food anyway.” He closed his menu and handed it to Yogi. “No alcohol whatsoever. I’m still underage and I value my brain.”

  
Yogi nodded, understanding. “Of course. Mhh, I won’t go too overboard either.”

* * *

  
Gareki liked the food, and he also liked having Yogi’s undivided attention for the duration of the meal.

  
“If this was a usual date, I’d ask for your hobbies, but we’re already friends…” Yogi suddenly mentioned, but then shook his head. “Tell me something you really love and I don’t know of.”

  
Gareki answered without missing a beat. “I like bathing. Your turn.”

  
Yogi grinned. “I like fencing.”

  
“Fencing?” Gareki asked, sounding somewhat confused. “Why aren’t you in a club when you like it?”

  
“My… former friends were annoyed with it since it took up almost every evening they wanted to do something. So they told me to stop fencing or being friends with them. I was stupid.”

  
“Indeed, you were. But you’re done with them for some time now, why not start again?” Gareki asked, nursing his glass. “I don’t think anybody would mind that hobby.”

  
Yogi looked sad for a moment. “I lied to my parents about the reason I was quitting.” He ruffled his hair slightly. “I lie about too many things when I don’t want people to be disappointed.”

  
Gareki inclined his head. “That is a bad habit. But I already told you that.” He fell silent for a second before he added. “You’re not allowed to lie to me, do you understand?”

  
Yogi reached for Gareki’s hand. “I’m never going to lie to you. I promise.”

  
He nodded. “That’s a step in the right direction. Just stop lying from now on.” Gareki grinned slightly. “White lies are still allowed, even though they are mostly just annoying.”

  
“I understand.” He answered, even though he didn’t.

  
Gareki hummed content. “So, are you going to spoiler me what’s for dessert?”

  
“I settled for something that isn’t awful sweet for you and something that has way to much sugar for me. That’s all the spoiler you get.”

  
Gareki averted his gaze slightly before it met Yogi’s again. And Yogi was almost sure, he felt his heart melting at the sight. He swallowed. “Please?”

  
Yogi opened his mouth, no sound escaped, then he averted his eyes, face entirely red. “Pancakes for you, mousse au chocolate for me…”

  
“Thank you for the answer, I really like pancakes.” Gareki answered and Yogi looked as if Gareki had the answer to all of his questions.

 

* * *

  
It was almost bitingly cold when the huddled close on a park bench not for from a lake, looking at the scenery. “Look, Gareki-kun, we can already see the stars.”

  
Gareki looked up, watching the stars for a moment before entangling his fingers with Yogi’s. “I had fun today,” he spoke.

  
“Me too!” Yogi exclaimed. “Being with you it… really amazing. It’s so much fun.”

  
The water made soft noises in the distance. “You’re pretty amazing too; if you don’t let yourself be manipulated into a person you’re not. Your real you is really nice to have around actually.” Gareki let his head fall on Yogi’s shoulder, gazing into the distance. “We should repeat this sometimes.”

  
These five words made Yogi’s heart skip a beat. Or two. Or three. And a thousand little explosions took their place. “You’ll really be my boyfriend?”

  
“Mh? Yes. I did say that—“

  
Whatever he had been prepared for it wasn’t to be tackled into a hug by Yogi. “I’m so happy!” Yogi exclaimed, pressing his face into Gareki’s neck, not caring that they weren’t on the park bench anymore, but on the ground. “So, so happy! Thank you, Gareki-kun!”

  
It took Gareki a moment to realise what had just occurred and even one more time to realise that the wet sensation on his neck wasn’t from the foliage he lay on. “Are you crying?” he asked confused.

  
“I’m just so happy!” Yogi answered, tears in his eyes, running down his cheek when he sat up. “Thank you for giving me a chance, Gareki-kun, I definitely won’t disappoint you!”

  
He didn’t have the heart to push Yogi off, even though he felt the wetness and the cold seep through his clothes.

 

* * *

  
But maybe he should have done exactly that to avoid Yogi’s future fussing. “Are you really sure, you’ll be alright?”

  
Gareki rolled his eyes slightly. “The way isn’t that far.”

  
“I think it’s pretty far for this time of the year.” Yogi mentioned, not letting go of Gareki’s hand. “You can crash at mine. I’ll take the guestroom again or you could, I don’t care, and then head home tomorrow when the busses actually drive. It’s no big deal – it’s none at all actually. Mom adores you, Miu does too. C’mon.”

  
Gareki shrugged slightly. This actually sounded good, really, really good. “I’d need to call home then as soon as we’re at yours and my mobile died.” That was the actual issue.

  
“Oh, you can take mine. I saved your mother’s number when you were sick to contact her. It didn’t feel right to use your mobile phone.”

  
“Alright,” Gareki answered, not resisting Yogi’s light pull anymore. “But one last thing: She’s my parent not my mother.”

  
“What’s the difference?” Yogi asked, watching Gareki from the side.

  
“A mother is the one who brings you into this world, a parent raises you,” Gareki mentioned, gaze on the ground. “That’s the difference.”

  
“I see…” Yogi answered. “You’re adopted then? Why did she adopt you when she was barely able to support herself?”

  
“The foster system is horrible, she saved me from it. Things aren’t perfect, but they are much better than what they could be. Not everybody gets to grow up like you, so never forget the privilege you had, Yogi.” This time it wasn’t only Gareki’s gaze that turned somewhat distant, but also his voice. Yogi worried, but suddenly, it was back to normal. “Two loving parents, one makes enough money for the other one to be able to be a homemaker. You’re having a dream life, Yogi.”

  
“I won’t forget that again, Gareki-kun. I will never forget that again.” He squeezed Gareki’s hand a little tighter at his words.

  
“That’s the least you can do.”

 

* * *

  
Yogi’s mother was ecstatic to have Gareki over again, greeting him before she even greeted Yogi. “You look so good in these clothes. Yogi bought them didn’t he?”

  
“Yes?” Gareki answered, overwhelmed by her greeting. “It’s nice to be back.”

  
“Come in, Gareki-kun, you missed dinner, but I can still warm something up for you—“

  
“We ate out today,” Yogi interrupted his mother amused. “But I think Gareki-kun needs a warm shower, dry clothes and a tea.” He slipped inside and was already on the first stair. “I’ll look for some dry clothes already. Gareki-kun was already sneezing on the way here.”

  
“That’s no good at all, Gareki-kun,” Yogi’s mother mentioned. “You’ve got to take care of your health. Run along, you know where Yogi’s bathroom is.”

  
“Will do,” Gareki answered and caught up with Yogi.

 

* * *

  
He loved Yogi’s bathroom. The big shower, the dozen of bathing soap, shampoo and shower gel. It was somewhat how he imagined a spa looking on the inside.

  
Just that he didn’t actually feel comfortable enough to take anything more than he was told to do. Just a shower, not a bath. He sighed softly when the warm water chased the cold that had set in his bones away.

  
Today had been fun.  
They had held hands all day long.  
And it had felt right.  
Gareki’s heart still fluttered.  
He could feel his cheeks heat up.

  
Taking a shaking breath, he grabbed for a random bottle of shampoo and opened it. Washing his hair to calm himself down, showering usually did the trick.

  
He sighed again. Yogi might not even be in the room next to him, but in the guest room at the end of the floor. And really, relationships weren’t that great anyway, sooner or later they all ended. Depending on how much was invested, the more hurting it was. He shouldn’t be that nervous, but enjoying everything as long as it lasted and then move on like nothing ever happened.

  
Everything else would just be painful in the end.

  
The warm water washed the soap out of his hair, sticking it wetly to his head.

  
Just… there was this nagging feeling that he already was in too deep. That he would lose more, than he would ever have be willing to give away freely.

  
He grabbed one of the fluffy light orange towels Yogi kept in his bathroom and started to dry himself with it. Everything would be all right, everything had eventually worked out before, he could work this out too.

  
He slipped out of the shower and slipped the shirt Yogi had given him over, the shorts followed soon after. He tried to ignore the thought that he was wearing Yogi’s clothes, if his old clothes, as he stepped out of the room.

  
Yogi was there, lying on his bed and reading.

  
“What’s so interesting?” Gareki asked him, slightly amused. A few months ago, Yogi didn’t even seem to like the ability to read.

  
Yogi looked up to him, as if he was half way expecting Gareki to laugh at him at his next words. “It’s just a novel…”

  
He dropped on the bed next to Yogi. “Tell me about it.”

  
“It’s about the plague…” He put a bookmark into the book and sat up. “I’m not very far into it, but it’s a rather busy town where people try to get rich and save up their free time for the weekend. It’s pretty boring town too, but now there are rats dying on the streets thus far.” He looked at Gareki who seemed pensive for a moment.

  
“I know that book. The plague?” he asked after a short while. “I read it before I got too involved with the science club. The one at your school that actually pays my school fees.” He grinned slightly. “I’ll have more time once it’s over. Next year I won’t be able to be in the science competition again. Good thing I got it signed that they pay for my last year too.”

  
Yogi didn’t know what to say. “You like reading? I barely ever see you reading anything but school books!”

  
Gareki shrugged. “There are things I need to concentrate on more. In some subjects, I’m slightly behind, because my teachers taught it different. I need to find these gaps before I don’t know it in exams.”

  
Yogi was speechless, but then he understood something. “That’s why you sometimes insist that we go ahead without you. You still have questions for the teacher.”

  
“Often, yes.” He fell down on the pillows and snuggled into them. “Not always. Sometimes I also have questions about the material of the next day. Some teachers like this, some hate it.”

  
Yogi chuckled, “That’s so like you.” He fell down next to Gareki, faces just inches apart. “I love you Gareki-kun.” His hand cupped Gareki’s cheek, thumb slowly caressing it. “Can I kiss you?”

  
Gareki could feel his pulse when he nodded slightly. But Yogi didn’t make it any better. His lips where soft on his, soft and incredibly skilled. He forgot how to breathe.

  
Yogi’s hand slipped down to his nape to pull him closer, and then shifted. Gareki was suddenly on his back and Yogi on top of him. He felt Yogi’s body heat, even though there was still space between him and there was Yogi’s hand that carefully pulled him closer.

  
His own slowly tangled in Yogi’s blond locks, pulling him closer or just holding him in place.

  
But eventually Yogi ended the kiss. Pressing small kisses on his cheek, all over his face, he pulled back, watching Gareki pant slightly. “You’re incredible, Gareki-kun.” He mumbled, laughing happily. “I love you so much, Gareki-kun.”

  
“How can you say that so easily?” Gareki mumbled, rolling on his side, face still red from the lake of oxygen. “It’s big word.”

  
Yogi hummed for a moment. “I just know what I feel. When there is clarity, abstract words and concepts become exact.” He cuddled into Gareki. “I wouldn’t mind being with you forever just like this.”

  
“It’s still all so messed up for me,” Gareki mumbled. “All my life I never wanted to fall in love and here I am, way too deep into it to go back.” He sighed softly. “I still need to call my parent.”

  
“Let’s just stay like this for a few more minutes,” Yogi mumbled, pressing his head under Gareki’s chin.

  
“No, I’m pretty sure you’ll fall asleep then.” Gareki decided and freed himself from Yogi’s grip. “We can do this after I called. Or wrote a message.”

  
Yogi made an unhappy noise but let Gareki go and turned around to get his phone. “You can go on the balcony if you want some privacy.” He mentioned as he offered it to Gareki.

  
“…Balcony?” Gareki asked after a short break.

  
“Mhhm, right behind the dark orange curtain there,” he answered while pointing at a place behind Gareki.

  
Gareki shook his head. “Let me rephrase: Why do you have your own balcony?”

  
Yogi shrugged. “It’s just the way this house was build, Gareki-kun!” But there was something almost warning in Yogi’s expression telling Gareki not to ask more. He inclined his head, slightly confused, not showing it in the slightest. If Yogi didn’t want to tell him that was fine.

  
“Alright.” He answered. “It’s completely alright.”

  
Because he wasn’t ready to share everything with Yogi either – not now. “Alright.”

  
Gareki took his mobile. “Thank you.”

  
Yogi didn’t answer for some time, curiosity shining in his eyes, but then, “It’s no problem. Not that.” He pulled his knees close to his chest leaning against the backrest of his bed.

  
Gareki halted in mid-step and turned around to sit down next to Yogi. “I’m sorry for whatever I made you think of.”

  
“It’s not your fault, Gareki-kun!” He forced a smile. “Just go and call your parent, I’ll be alright!”

  
He poked Yogi’s cheek. “Don’t force a smile. That’s a lie too.”

 

* * *

  
Gareki hadn’t quite known breakfast the same way, Yogi knew it.

  
The table was packet with everything his heart might possibly desire. Gareki swallowed slightly. “It’s nice that you actually got to join us today,” Yogi’s mother told him. “On a Sunday even! It’s so nice to have you over again.”

  
“It’s always nice to be here,” Gareki answered gently.

  
Yogi’s mother laughed softly. “Thank you, Gareki-kun! You’re too kind.” She then turned to Yogi. “Why can’t you date someone like Gareki-kun next time, Yogi?”

  
Gareki blinked softly. “I told you—“

  
“That Gareki-san agreed with your date,” Miumari interrupted him softly.

  
Yogi shook his head, slightly grinning. “You’re twisting my words to fit what you think.”

  
“What am I thinking then?” Miu encountered, pouting slightly.

  
“That I’m an utter fool,” he turned to Gareki and kissed him. Just like that, in between what should have been heartbeats, but it rather felt like his heart skipped a beat. Or two.

  
Gareki blinked, Yogi smiled brightly at him – a bit like a dork. And Gareki already cringed at his own unfitting words. “I was just deciding on my breakfast.”

  
Yogi chuckled. “You were so going for the bacon anyway.”

  
Gareki huffed slightly. “Yes, but that’s no reason to distract me.”

  
He reached over the table and put the plate with bacon directly in front of Gareki. “Better?”

  
“We aren’t alone, you can’t just—“ Gareki fell quiet, only now realizing the gazes from Yogi’s family. “Yogi took the bacon – not me!”

  
Yogi’s mother shook her head. “Take everything you want, Gareki-kun!” she told him happily – way too happily.

  
Gareki blinked. “What did I miss?”

  
Yogi shrugged slightly. “My parents are weird when it’s about you. Sometimes I think they love you more than me.” He stuck his tongue out towards his parents and Gareki almost laughed.

  
“You know they love you more than anything,” Gareki told him, slowly starting to shovel food on his plate. “You can see how much they care in every single interaction with you.”

  
“I know, it’s just…” Yogi seemed pensive. “They adore you more than anybody else I am friends with. At first I thought they were just normally friendly, but they are even friendlier with you than they are with Tsukumo!”

  
“You never expressed any signs of falling in love with Tsukumo-chan,” his mother told him. “And Gareki-kun is our first choice – has been ever since you introduced him.”

  
“Before that,” Yogi’s father threw in. “I always said Gareki-kun would end up in our family. In one way or another.”

  
“Before?” Yogi and Gareki asked – almost at the same time.

  
“Sure, Gareki now carries his mother’s maiden name, since his aunt took him in, but that doesn’t change who his parents were.” He smiled. “They would be so proud to see what kind of person he became.”

  
Yogi could almost see how Gareki latched onto the opportunity to learn more, like a cat starting to jump towards their prey. “You knew my mother?”

  
“You didn’t know?” Yogi’s father asked softly. “I knew both of your parents pretty well. They were great people.”

  
Gareki seemed slightly uncomfortable, unsure, but eventually he asked. “Could you tell me about my mother?”

  
Yogi father was silent for a moment, gaze locked on Gareki. “Is there a reason why you are against stories of your father?” he questioned softly. “Or are you just more curious about your mother?”

  
“Who cares about my father? He left and my mother to died,” Gareki stated, eyes narrowing. “I don’t bother with persons who don’t care—“

  
“That’s a dangerous half-truth you’re talking about. Your father was ecstatic when he heard about you. He was visiting with your mother and spend all evening on the ground with Yogi telling him that he would have a new playmate soon. He was with your mother at every doctor’s appointment. He talked nonstop about the colour scheme of your room until it was decided.” He stopped talking for a moment, gaze softly on Gareki. “But he died before you were born. Dead people can’t be there for births.”

  
It was silent for a moment. “I never…”

  
Yogi’s father sighed softly. “You never heard any of this, I know. Your aunt… loved her sister dearly, so she never forgave your father that he died and left her sister with all the tears.” He inclined his head slightly. “I’m sorry for your loss, Gareki-kun.”

  
Gareki stood up from his seat and left the dining room. Yogi threw a last gaze at his father before following his boyfriend out of the room.

  
“Wasn’t that a little… overwhelming?” Yogi heard his mother ask just before he shut the door behind himself.

 

* * *

  
“Hey…” Yogi mumbled, sitting down on his bed next to Gareki. “I’m here for you. I’ll always be.”

  
Gareki didn’t react besides of a whispered, “Go away…”

  
“No, I’ll be right here. I’d be a horrible person if I just left you alone like this.” He put his hand on Gareki’s body. “That was pretty brutal of my father, wasn’t it?”

  
“Can’t decide…” he heard Gareki mumble, but the rest was lost in his blanket.

  
“I can’t understand you, Gareki-kun. I’d like to see you,” Yogi told him.

  
Suddenly Gareki sat up, even though Yogi had almost expected it, there was not a single tear swimming in Gareki’s eyes, but there was still a great loneliness in them, on Yogi could understand too well. “That was just pretty damn world shattering, ok. Can’t I just sort my thoughts? Do you just have to interrupt me?”

  
Yogi pulled him into a gentle hug. “You’re feeling lonely, don’t you?”

  
“Of course I feel lonely—“ Yogi could see the immediate regret in Gareki’s eyes after the words slipped from his lips. “I mean, I’m not lonely, you’re putting words in my mouth!”

  
“I love you, Gareki-kun,” Yogi spoke, barely loud enough for Gareki to understand. “And I’ll be there for you as long as you want me to be.”

  
Gareki buried his face in his neck. “It’s just a damn shitty situation isn’t it?”

  
“Yes, it is,” Yogi answered, “I wish I could help you somehow, but… I know how lonely that place is.”

  
Gareki didn’t answer, he didn’t seem as if he was looking for comfort either, but he slowly started easing into his embrace. “Can we go somewhere? I’m going to walk up these wall if I stay inside.”

  
“Of course, let’s just get dressed and then do stuff. What do you want to do?”

 

* * *

  
When he had asked that, he hadn’t guessed he would find himself quite so far outside of the town and so deep in the forest.

  
Gareki held his hand tightly while he pulled him through the forest, a destination clear in his mind and sometimes Yogi struggled to keep up with him. The slippery leaves under his feet didn’t make the uneven ground any better.

  
They didn’t speak, Gareki had be quiet the entire way and Yogi understood it. Gareki was a privy person to begin with.

  
It startled him enough to lose his footing for a moment when Gareki raised his voice. “You should really stop lying or things like this happen. So you better come clear with your parents before it hurts anybody.”

  
Yogi blinked. “I am planning on doing that. But you are my first priority right now.”

  
Gareki nodded. “Alright. That’s good. I… somehow like your attention, but really, family first. Yours isn’t as messed up as mine apparently is.”

  
“Just that mine is in there too? I’m keeping my loyalties and priorities with you first for the time being.”

  
Gareki snorted slightly. “You’re so ridiculously in love with me and I don’t even understand why. There really isn’t anything special about gloomy moody me. But thank you. I love you too.”

  
Yogi stopped walking, almost slipping because Gareki didn’t stop, but they caught themselves from falling once more. “That’s the first time you actually said that…”

  
“It is a pretty big word, but I think I can trust you.” Gareki told him. “C’mon, we’re not there yet.”

  
“Where are we heading anyway?” Yogi asked, not wanting to let their voices die down completely once more for a few hours.

  
Gareki needed a moment to answer. “It’s just a spot I like to go to when life gets messy.”

 

* * *

  
A tree house. Gareki had a tree house. All the way up in one medium tall tree.

  
Yogi ran his hand up the tree bark, watching Gareki who was already climbing up. As soon as there where a few metres difference between them, he followed.

 

* * *

  
“It’s small, it isn’t completely comfortable, but welcome in my home away from home,” Gareki greeted him as soon as Yogi came inside.

  
“It brilliant,” Yogi mumbled, stunned by its sheer size. “You built this all on your own?”

  
“Of course I did,” Gareki answered, “I like being self-sufficient.”

 

* * *

  
Yogi munched on a snack, Gareki had in a cupboard along with plenty others. “In the case of a zombie apocalypse, we’re going to hide here,” Yogi told Gareki in the attempt to make a joke and Gareki snorted.

  
“If there is a zombie apocalypse, we’ll have bad cards, because it’s more probable that the infection carries in the air than though bites.” He then cracked up a bit. “But we’d be save here for a little, I guess.”

  
Gareki put his head on Yogi’s lap. “Why does everything have to be so messy all the time?” He mumbled one had gripping for Yogi’s hair, pulling softly. “What’s next? What are your parents to me anyway?”

  
Yogi shook his head. “I’ve got no idea… But maybe, if our parents were good friends they are like your godparents? Or were planned to be it at least.”

  
Gareki didn’t answer for a moment. “I wish I had grown up with you. You’re a good friend.”

  
“Thank you, Gareki-kun,” Yogi answered, sounding too proud at these measly words. And then shifted to pull his mobile out. “Whoa,” he mumbled. “21 missed calls and 30 messages. I should have said that I was heading out with you.”

  
Gareki sat up again. “How late is it anyway, I forget that it’s autumn. Without light we can’t exactly climb down safely.”

  
Yogi stared at his mobile and the swallowed. “I hope you’ve got some more blankets then, Gareki-kun. It’s already eight.”

  
“…” Gareki stood up from his spot and climbed through a hole in what Yogi had assumed to be the roof. “Give me the blanket and then follow me,” he told him holding out his hand.

 

* * *

  
Yogi hadn’t expected Gareki to have some sort of bedroom with pillows and blankets, but Gareki had it up here. There even was a small window from which he could see the night sky and the stars.

“Tsukumo-chan would love this…” Yogi whispered.

  
Twinkle little star.  
Illuminate my wishes.  
Up in the night sky.

  
“Just Tsukumo?” Gareki mentioned, almost sounding absentminded, but Yogi what Gareki wanted to say.

  
“Me too. This is brilliant, Gareki-kun,” he answered. “It’s amazing here. When did you built all of this?” He fell into the mountains of pillows, halfway expecting them to be dusty, but instead they just smelled like Gareki. Not at all fitting for a place like this.

  
“I was around eight when I started,” he explained, “But a lot of what you’re seeing I only made when I was twelve or so. Like the electrics that might work, but don’t have to because they don’t save enough energy up yet.” He shuffled through some blankets before he pulled out a little clock. “We’ll be late at school tomorrow, that’s for sure.”

  
“I don’t mind, I get to spend another night with Gareki-kun after all. We could skip for all I care.”

  
“That’s no good though,” Gareki mentioned. “Look it’s just because it’s so far away. We’ll be back on time starting tomorrow.”

  
“I’ll never get to skip a day of school as long as we hang out, I know,” Yogi joked.

  
Gareki threw a blanket at his. “Skipping is boring anyway.” Then he took the others, wrapped himself in one and the last one he threw over them before snuggling up to Yogi. “We’re better up sharing body heat.”

  
Yogi chuckled gently and pulled Gareki a little closer. “That we are.”

  
“Shut up, will you? I’m trying to sleep.”

 

* * *

  
There was a bird in front of the small window and Yogi couldn’t help himself when the bird started tweeting. He carefully shook Gareki’s shoulder. “Listen Gareki-kun,” he whispered.

  
“Birds tend to sing. Is the sun already out?” Gareki answered, unconsciously cuddling into his blanket. “Or is this one of the early singers?”

  
“The sun is just starting to rise, it’s not enough to climb down yet,” Yogi answered truthfully, still fawning over the little bird. “It’s so pretty!”

  
“It just wants food.” Gareki sat up sleepily and gripped the window which immediately opened and the bird flew inside. Yogi watched it circling over their heads until it landed on Gareki’s lap. “Good morning to you too, you annoyance,” he greeted it. “Can’t let me sleep out once out here, can you?”

  
As if it was answering, it twitched happily and flapped his wings.

  
“How did you do that?” Yogi asked, astonished. “You tamed a wild animal.”

  
Gareki shrugged slightly. “I raised this fellow and it just comes back. How many times have I told you to fly away?” he asked the bird and then turned back to Yogi. “It broke his wing some time ago when it was still young, nursed it back to health, fed it until it was old enough to hunt for itself and how does it thank me? By waking me at ungodly hours.”

  
Yogi laughed softly. “That’s so cute. What’s his name?”

  
Gareki raised his eyebrows. “You don’t name animals you don’t plan on keeping, that will only bind you to it.”

  
“I think that this little fellow is pretty much your pet anyway. So you better give it a name.” Yogi said. “Not naming it would be mean.”

  
“You name it then,” Gareki proposed. “I’m not good with names.”

  
Yogi looked at the bird in concentration and Gareki simply put it on Yogi’s lap. “Enjoy your new playmate.”

  
“Are you talking with me or with your bird?” Yogi questioned gently.

  
“How am I your playmate? I’m not –“ Gareki sighed. “I still don’t know what to do, but I’ll keep a little distance from your parents until I decide.”

  
Yogi nodded. “I’m not sure how things look from your point of view, but it didn’t sound as if your father was that bad of a person. Sure, my father keeps a bit odd company sometimes – opportunists, really – but the ones he really calls friends are all nice and special in their way.”

  
“I thought so too. But Yogi, it still changes everything for me. Everything I know.”

  
Yogi raised his hands. “Stop there. It doesn’t change everything. It doesn’t change that I love you, it doesn’t change science, it doesn’t really change anything but the way you feel about yourself.” He put the bird back on Gareki’s lap. “Take care of Aka-tan and I’ll check something with my father. Just a minute or two.”

  
“Aka, huh?” Gareki mentioned to the bird, “That isn’t the most creative name either. Just naming you after your colour…” The bird flapped his wings happily but didn’t start flying.

 

* * *

  
Yogi was back not even a minute afterwards. “It’s a little blurry, buuut your parents wedding picture! Look how happy they look.” Yogi said while holding his mobile for Gareki to take. “Dad promised to make you a copy if you wanted one.”

  
Gareki took his mobile phone, looking at the display for a long time before he said something. “They were… married?”

  
“Otherwise they wouldn’t have a wedding picture,” Yogi answered softly, moving closer to Gareki. “I’m sure dad has some more. I’ll ask him to make copies of the all and then we can go somewhere and look at them together! What do you think?”

  
He heard how Gareki swallowed. “That would be nice.”

  
“I always have the best ideas!” He nudged Gareki in the side, “Let’s get some food into our stomachs, so we can leave as soon as it’s a little brighter outside.”

 

* * *

  
Tracking back to the civilisation was less strenuous than Yogi remembered the way into the forest. Maybe it was because this time, he knew the way and also Gareki talked or at least allowed him to talk the entire time.

  
“Will you head to school after you’re feeling a little more human again?” Yogi asked, “I think I’ll go. I still have drama club in the afternoon. And you should totally come to our play! I already got you a ticket in the first row!”

  
“Isn’t that normally for families?” Gareki asked softly, timidly reaching out for Yogi’s hand. “I think I could bear it for you if you want me to.”

  
Yogi pressed the offered hand lightly. “They won’t mention anything about your or mine or both of our families if I ask them to. You can’t keep thinking forever, but it would be my pleasure to keep you distracted for an evening.”

  
“I’ll come to watch you then,” Gareki answered. “You’re right. Let’s make a deal. You come clean with your parents about your ‘fencing’ lie and I’ll come for a dinner. Nothing more nothing less. If I don’t feel up to I don’t have to talk. If you don’t feel up to you don’t have to tell the entire truth.”

  
Yogi nodded. “Get ready for dinner on Tuesday—on the other side, let’s go for Saturday. I think I need some time to prepare my mother for that.” He hid his face slightly. “I would be much easier if you had come to my school last year. Less lies, still with normal friends, grades a bit better—“

  
“They are getting better. You’ll be surprised by the end of the semester.” Gareki let go of Yogi’s hand and stuffed them into his pockets. “Besides most teachers adore you, you’re pretty nice – when you don’t hang out with bullies that is.”

  
Yogi laughed softly. “I’m never going to get rid of that am I?”

  
“First impressions never completely fade. So prove the good things and let people forget the bad ones.” Gareki answered. “No PDA, we’re just friends in this part of town. I don’t want to run into trouble.”

  
“Trouble?” Yogi asked, confused. “For holding hands? Did their partner dump them badly?”

  
“They want to prove they are a real hard guy and definitely not gay with a knife.” Gareki mumbled, “Some people have egos that are bigger than their brain. Though in these cases, this shouldn’t be impressing. I was once thinking about making graphs about that in school, but my teachers thought that that idea was too dangerous.”

  
“Honest question,” Yogi started and Gareki looked at him. “Were you bullied in school?”

  
“I once ran into detention because I beat someone up who tried to bully me – nobody even thought about doing it afterwards. Besides a few persons who wanted to be friends I was left alone,” Gareki answered, grinning evilly. “I might not look like it, but I’m pretty good at fighting. He was two heads bigger than me and I still broke his nose and two rips while I only got a few bruises.”

  
“That’s impressive,” Yogi said in awe and suddenly sobered up. “But you shouldn’t do it anyway. It’s dangerous, you know?”

  
Gareki snorted. “Getting beaten up by a bully is more endangering than defending yourself and winning.”

  
“That’s true but still-!” Yogi insisted, kicking a small stone. “Please tell me, I’ll be your back up. And false testimony.”

  
Gareki chuckled. “Yeah, ok. Next time we’ll beat up bullies together. But don’t cry if someone gives you a bruise.”

  
“I used to fence, Gareki. Even with all the protection you have to wear you sometimes still get a bruise.”

  
“Okey then. Next time you get to beat up a bully and I’m cheering from the side lines.” He winked and Yogi just shook his head laughing until he was crying because of it.

  
“You are the worst, Gareki-kun.”

 

* * *

  
Yogi carefully opened the door and wasn’t even completely inside of the floor when his mother stood in front of him and almost fell into his arms. “You’ve got to call when you stay outside all night. Your father might be able to shake it off, but I am not.” She took his hands in hers. “Where did you stay?”

  
“Secret tree house Gareki likes to call his home away from home?” he told his mother. “And by the time Gareki calmed down, it was too late to climb down so we just spend the night in all blankets he had and munched snacks?”

  
She blinked. “A tree house?”

  
“A really impressive one! Water is missing, but there even is light. I have no idea how Gareki does that!” Yogi explained. “But I’ve got to shower and get my school bag. I’m meeting Gareki at school in a little over half an hour. Can you pack me some lunch please?”

  
“Don’t you rather want to stay home?” she inquired, sounding somewhat worried. “You look a little tired…”

  
Yogi shook his head. “I promised Gareki to meet him. I’m heading upstairs! Talk to you later!” And he was off, running up to his room.

 

* * *

  
He greeted Gareki happily when he saw Gareki exit the bus and jumped up from the bench he sat on. “Let’s go in Gareki-kun!”

  
“You didn’t need to wait for me,” Gareki answered and caught up with him. “Did you wait long?”

  
“The bus I took arrived a minute before yours. I wouldn’t have waited longer than five. Not missing the next lesson when I’m already in school.” He smiled brightly and reached out for Gareki’s hand. “PDA is fine again?”

  
Gareki shrugged softly. “I think there are also people with small brains and big egos here, but they respect you for your family’s reputation. I finally had time to google it.” He huffed softly. “You could have said something.”

  
“I like it more when people like me for being me than for my family. Especially when I’m dating them,” Yogi mentioned softly, pressing his hand. “I love you.”

  
Gareki pressed his hand. “I love you too, Yogi,” Gareki mumbled and Yogi’s smile lit up more.

  
“I really like how my name sounds out of your mouth,” he told him.

  
His hand was pressed lightly when Gareki swung the school’s door open. “I’ll try to say it more often then.”

 

* * *

  
Tsukumo approached them immediately when she caught sight of them. “You could have said you were coming later…”

  
“We weren’t planning on it,” Yogi apologized. “One thing led to another and we were stuck on a tree house with no safe way to get down.”

  
She looked at Gareki. “You’re lucky then our English teacher fell sick. The lessons you skipped didn’t even take place.”

  
“No lit either then?” he looked at Yogi. “Looks like I’ll be able to catch up sleep sooner than you.”

  
“I did sleep well,” Yogi answered.

  
“Sure, you hogged the blankets and snuggled. I honestly can’t tell how you did it.”

  
“I’m just awesome like that!” Yogi exclaimed, laughing.

  
Gareki huffed. “Next time I’m sleeping over, I’ll turn you heater on. Let’s see how long you can still laugh then!”

  
Yogi melodramatically placed his hand on his heart. “That hurts right here, Gareki-kun!” But then sobered up. “We probably won’t get to share the bed next time anyway. My parents are weird like that.”

  
He raised an eyebrow. „Yes, this certainly does sound weird… What did you do with other room mates? Eat them alive?“ he joked.

  
Yogi opened his mouth and closed it again. „So innocent!“

  
This made Gareki halt in midstep. „Wait. That?“

  
Yogi didn’t exactly answer. Gareki didn’t really need one.

 

* * *

  
Gareki leaned against Yogi in the break, slightly closing his eyes. All energy drained. Yogi would pitty him, he really would, if he himself wasn’t just as tired. He nuzzled into Gareki’s hair and closed his eyes.

  
„You shouldn’t fall asleep in school,“ Tsukumo mentioned abesentminded and stood up. „You’ll only be more tired later, not less tired.“

  
„We should be completely alright if we were used to it,“ Gareki mentioned. „But considering we slept almost the entire night and that I’m actually somewhat used to camp up there…“ He sighed. „My parent only commented that I picked an odd time to need alone time. The single minutes I saw her.“

  
„Reminds me that mine packed lunch for you. Are you hungry?“ Yogi mumbled.

  
„A bit… not really. Tell her thank you anyway.“

  
Yogi nodded. „Will do. The blue bento box is for you.“ He sighed softly. „She almost insisted I stayed for some breakfast. I couldn’t decide whether to jump at the food or decline, so I told her later. How embarrassing is that? I’ll have breakfast later.“

  
Gareki chuckled softly. „I forgot my pencils. That’s more embarrassing.“

  
„Stuff like that happens from time to time, Gareki.“ Tsukumo conseilled him.

  
But it didn’t really work, Gareki just huffed. „Never happened to me before.“

  
Yogi laughed and hugged him. „You can have my pencil case if that makes you feel better!“

  
„Not really, no.“ Gareki told him. „But keep sharing, yes? I’d be in some trouble otherwise.“

  
Yogi just snorted. „Give me one thing I wouldn’t share with you.“ He mentioned. „You don’t even need to ask. Just take what you need.“

  
Gareki raised an eyebrow. „If it’s like that… gimme your phone for a moment. I want to see the picture again.“

  
„Of course. I already wrote dad to make you your copies. But until then…“ He pulled out his phone and gave it to Gareki. „This had to be enough.“

  
Gareki held the mobile as if it was a treasure and it almost broke Yogi’s heart. „They looked really happy didn’t they?“ Gareki mumbled, gazing at the picture.

  
„It would have been really amazing to grow up with you,“ Yogi mumbled. „Imagine what we would have done. Maybe we would have set a kitchen in flames or stolen all the cookies and ice cream.“

  
„Or maybe you would have done all of that and I would have told your parents to get my share fair and square.“ Gareki mentioned, looking up with a sly grin.

  
„Excuse me,“ Tsukumo interrupted them. „Why are you getting on this subject?“

  
„My parents were good friends of Gareki’s. Our dads were best friends even. If his aunt hadn’t taken him in, my father would have. He said he always knew Gareki would end up with my family. Guess how proud he is that I’ve got myself an awesome boyfriend?“ He grinned, pulling Gareki closer and gave him a kiss on the cheek. „But that doesn’t change the fact that I’m dead tired.“

  
„Well, you were up as soon as Aka started to sing. I was still sleeping,“ Gareki mentioned, yawning gently. „I would have been able to ignore that annoyance for all eternity.“

  
„That’s not nice. Your pet bird was hungry. You ought to give some food to it.“

  
„It’s a wild bird not a ‚pet bird‘,“ Gareki complained softly and looked to Tsukumo. „There is this annoyance of bird coming to the tree house everytime I’m there because it wants food. Yogi gave it a name and is now insisting it’s a pet.“

  
Tsukumo covered her mouth with her hand, chuckling amused. „You’ve got the bickering down. When do you show me the rest?“

  
Yogi blushed bright red. „Excuse me? How about: Never?”

 

"What, you're never going to kiss in public?"

 

* * *

  
Yogi couldn’t help but think that nothing really changed.

  
His mother had been mad at first, sure, but she had forgiven him not long afterwards.

  
And it was so worth having Gareki back at the table. His parents, fond of Gareki as always, didn’t even try to bring up the subject of Gareki’s parents back. Gareki was slightly too eager for these subjects, too enthusiastic. It was kinda cute.

  
“Yogi?” Gareki asked him and his gaze snapped to him.

  
“Yes?” he said.

  
“Which university are you planning to visit?”

  
Yogi’s heart sunk. “I still have over a year to decide!” he answered. “Don’t ask such hard questions!”

  
Gareki halted for a moment, before his eyes widened. “Rich family, right. One year and a half, not one year.”

  
Yogi’s eyes narrowed slightly. “What do you mean by that?”

  
“Scholarships are given earlier than that. For me it’s only one a year since I’d still need time to write the applications. How nice do you think our school is going to look on it?” He seemed utterly content. “That will at least be one bonus point. My applications has to back it up somehow.”

  
“If your favourite university accepts you, you should take it even if they wouldn’t grand you the scholarship,” Yogi’s father mentioned lightly. “I’ll pay your first year and afterwards you’ll have your inheriance. That should cover the expenses and then some more.”

  
“I couldn’t ask for that,” Gareki told him.

  
Yogi’s father sighed softly. “I missed 17 of your birthdays, Gareki. I think, the present to your 18th should be something big.”

  
“…I’m not celebrating my birthday anyway. I don’t need any present, don’t bother yourself with it,” Gareki told him and turned to Yogi. “Same goes to you.”

  
He pouted. “Well then.” Yogi huffed. “I’m just going to get you something really special you can’t say no to. Or go with you on a date to someplace you’ll enjoy more than any other place.” Then he grinned. “And still buy you a birthday present.”

  
“I have to second Yogi here, Gareki. You’re definitely getting a present. May 21st wasn’t it?” Yogi’s father winked at Yogi. “Maybe we’ll throw you a bigger birthday party than Yogi.”

  
“Pft. I don’t know as many people as Yogi. I am just hanging out with Yogi and Tsukumo.”

  
Yogi put his hand on Gareki’s tight. “You’ll get the nicest birthday party ever. I know enough people to make it an educated blast.”

  
“I’m not sure I like the way you used the word educated here, Yogi.” Gareki told him, putting his hand on Yogi’s and Yogi turned his hand around to take it carefully. “I really don’t need one.”

  
“Between necessary and pleasure is a big difference, Gareki-kun.” He said, pressing his hand. “And I want you to have the biggest pleasure on your birthday.”

  
“I’m not a people person. I don’t like… parties.” Gareki shuddered slightly. “Not at all.”

  
“Well, then I’ll think of something else! Trust me,” Yogi told him, pressing a soft kiss on Gareki’s cheek.

  
“On another note,” Yogi’s father than started. “Do you already know when you’ll be occupied around Christmas? We’d like to invite you over for a dinner.”

 

Gareki shrugged slightly. “My parent has to work on the Christmas days. I’m free on all of them. Just invite me whenever it fits you best.”

  
Yogi’s eyes widened. “That’s no good! Christmas is for the family!”

  
“My aunt really wants the best for me, Yogi. It might not seem like it to you, but a roof over your head and food on the table is more needed than holidays spend with the family. It might be pleasure, but survival is first.”

  
“It still hurts that your life is so hard. I want to hear you laugh out of pure joy just once. I don’t want you to constandly worry…” Yogi mumbled. “I just want you to be happy…”

  
Gareki pressed his head in Yogi’s shoulder. “I am happier than I have been in years. Things are just starting to relax.”

  
But this wasn’t quite enough for Yogi.

 

* * *

  
“Don’t you have a scarf?” Yogi asked Gareki when school ended. “And where are your gloves?”

  
Gareki blinked. “It isn’t that cold.”

  
His boyfriend started to unwrap himself and wrapped his scarf around Gareki’s neck. “It is snowing outside and you have a long way home. Use this one for now, I still have another one at home.”

  
Gareki nodded slightly. “Thank you, Yogi. But now you’ve got no scarf.”

  
He shrugged. “My father is going to pick me up anyway. I only need to walk to the street. Don’t worry.”

  
Hiding his face in the scarf, Gareki nodded. “Alright.”

 

* * *

  
“Where is your scarf anyway?” his mother asked him over dinner.

  
His father smirked taking a sip out of his cup. “Shared with his boyfriend. Yogi can be insisting if he wants to.”

 

* * *

  
“Hello there marvellous,” Yogi greeted him when he opened the front door. “Come in, it’s warmer.”

  
It was slightly weird for Gareki how he could smell the Christmas mood in Yogi’s home. And how he could see it. “It looks inviting,” he mumbled as he slipped past Yogi to tidily put his shoes and jacket away, but the cold was still under his skin. Then he turned to Yogi hugging him quickly. “Thank you for letting me in.”

  
He rolled his eyes. “The last thing I want is that you fall sick. How are you?”

  
“I’m fine,” he answered. “You?”

  
“Now that you’re here? I couldn’t be better.” He smiled brightly. “Mum just started to heat up milk. Are you in the mood for hot chocolate? Because I sure am.”

  
“I guess it would be fine.”

  
Yogi pouted. “That isn’t enough for me. Do you like tea more?”

  
“Yes, I do. But I’m fine with hot chocolate too.” Gareki answered already heading for the kitchen. “There is no need to inconvenience your mother about a little preference.”

  
“Inconvenience me?” Yogi’s mother asked, coming out of the kitchen and pulling Gareki into a hug. It wasn’t the first time Yogi realized how Gareki went stiff before hugging her back, then waited a moment – until it wouldn’t be rude – before pulling back first. “What do you want Gareki-kun?”

  
His mother didn’t realize it. Yogi was slightly proud of himself. “Gareki-kun would rather have tea than hot chocolate, but doesn’t want to decline because you already started to heat it up,” he explained. “That’s silly isn’t it?”

  
“Yes, it is. What’s your favourite kind of tea, Gareki-kun?”

  
Gareki seemed uncomfortable. “Every kind is fine…”

  
“Not really picky, are you?” Yogi’s father mentioned as he came down the stairs. “Hello, Gareki-kun. Have you ever had green tea with freshly pressed lemon?”

  
“No, I haven’t had.”

  
“Well, then we have an order. It’s nice to have you over. How did you sleep? Did you have breakfast yet?” he chatted lightly.

  
“I slept well, thank you, and no, I haven’t had breakfast yet. It’s still a bit too early.” Gareki answered.

  
“We’re only about to set the table. Maybe we should put some more bacon and ham on it in this case.” He laughed and carefully ruffled Gareki’s hair. He turned towards his wife. “Where is Miu-chan?”

  
“Still sleeping,” she answered. “Yogi, darling, would you mind setting the table already?”

  
Yogi nodded and pulled out plates from the cabin, red ones with delicate Christmas drawings. Gareki squatted down next to him reaching to take one out of his hand. “These are really—“ he fell quiet, blushing lightly.

  
“They are part of our special Christmas set! Only to be used from the 24th until the 26th of December.” He grinned softly. “I like how they carry a Christmas spirit on their own and are even somewhat our Christmas tradition.”

  
“I see…” Gareki mumbled, “Hold them tight then.” He stood up again. “What can I do to help? This isn’t my kit—“

  
“You’re our guest, Gareki-kun!” Yogi’s mother scolded him and gave him a cup of tea (for a moment he wondered when the tea had time to cook, but then let go of that thought). “Take your tea and head to the living room.”

  
“I want to help, Rimhakka-san,” Gareki told her. “I would feel bad if I didn’t help.”

  
She sighed softly. “You don’t have to be so formal with me either. You’re dating my son, so you’re basically already part of the family.” She ruffled his hair. “Really, just sit down on the couch and enjoy your tea. I am almost finished here and Yogi can handle a handful of plates.”

  
Gareki shrugged, realizing that it was useless to fight this. “Take care of the plates, Yogi,” he said and made his way to the living room.

  
He halted slightly, looking at the tall shimmering Christmas tree. The golden and red ornaments reflecting the light that fell in from the door and window, Gareki hadn’t wanted to destroy the picture by lighting the lights.

  
He took a sip of his tea, savouring the slightly bitter taste on his tongue. Smaller lights were already illuminating the Christmas tree from within. He heard Yogi shuffling into the room, the soft noises of him setting a table.

  
He didn’t say a word.

  
Gareki didn’t mind at all. Moreover, he loved this almost silence or rather loved how Yogi understood well enough that he didn’t always need the constant chatter to feel like he was still welcomed and wanted.  
He still liked to talk.

  
But for now, they were only breathing.

 

* * *

  
Gareki rather listened than participated in dialogs. But it was fine, in this family there was always someone to fill the silence.

  
Nevertheless, Gareki choose to throw something in. “I think you should find a hobby, Yogi,” he spoke, completely disrupting the slight bickering of him and his sister.

  
“Not you too,” he wined slightly. “You’re supposed to—“

  
Gareki raised his eyebrow as he interrupted. “If you say hobby, I’ll be mad.”

  
Yogi shook his head. “You’re supposed to be on my side. Is what I was going to say, before you interrupted me.” His parents chuckled softly.

  
“I am,” Gareki assured him. “But I’m not a people person, it’s draining to be around people all the time. When do I still have time for myself anyway?” He snorted lightly. “Not even in the science club,” he added, mumbling it bitterly.

  
“I’m not heading to the science club with you every—“ he fell silent, remembering how many people seemed to be around Gareki lately, especially in the science club. They were almost swarming him as his project came together under his hands. “They are annoying you? I thought you finally made friends on your own!”

  
Gareki snorted. “With these opportunists? Your judgment of me is so off.” He chewed on a piece of bacon.

  
“And instead of telling them off, you tell me to go find a hobby?” Yogi asked, pouting.

  
“I told them off. But opportunists are the worst.” He shrugged lightly. “Some tried to get to me over you the week before vacations started. You look for a hobby and I get a new set of books.” This was accompanied by a firm gaze. “And then we’ll enjoy our time even more. But I need some space.”

  
“Any ideas?” Yogi mumbled, still not happy with the proposal, but knowing that Gareki would only be unhappy if he didn’t accept and plainly declined.

  
“Fencing,” Gareki told him without even thinking about it. “You enjoyed it in the past.”

  
Yogi’s mother nodded. “I think this is a brilliant idea, Yogi! You’re getting out of shape lately.”

  
He raised an eyebrow and laughed softly. “Am I making shopping hard for you?”

  
“No, but when was the last time you went for a run?” she asked. “You were out of breath from running half a mile a few weeks ago.”

  
He rolled his eyes. “Sorry.” He told her, but it was pretty clear that he didn’t mean it.

  
Gareki looked vaguely amused by their exchange. “So, now that that’s decided,” Gareki changed the subject, “Would you mind giving me the bread, Yogi?”

  
“You’re fast with deciding for me,” Yogi pouted, handing him the bread. “Besides, you didn’t even ask whether I was alright with it.”

  
“That’s because you mentioned you never wanted to stop fencing,” he took a slice of the offered bread. “So, you can start again. Thank you.”

  
“It’s no problem.” Yogi sighed. “When I started dating you, I didn’t know what would actually happen.”

  
“Says the one with dating experience. When you think about it, it’s a bit like kissing and math, isn’t it?” Gareki snorted lightly. “At first seems so odd and difficult, but in the end, when you get a feeling about how it works, it’s easy.”

  
Yogi raised an eyebrow. “I agree about it from my point of view. But I never would have thought you would have had problems with math.”

  
“I was struggling in elementary, because teachers always tried to explain math with whole numbers. One orange and another orange made two oranges, but I kept taking them apart, insisting that suddenly it wasn’t one and one, but one and 64…” Gareki mumbled, “I was very mindfully by taking them apart, I even took the slices apart. Same with chalk or… whatever else they used in an attempt to explain. Took a while until they pulled me out and explained fractions to me. I understood from then on and tried to do my research on my own as soon as I got a library card.” He took a breath and saw how his boyfriend was close to laughing. “Just laugh. Thinking back, I was somewhat stupid.”

  
“That’s not it,” Yogi chuckled, “It’s just somewhat endearing that even you struggled with school before.”

  
Gareki snorted lightly.

 

* * *

  
Gareki looked at his Christmas present wide eyed. “I can’t take this,” he told Yogi’s parents. “It must have costed a fortune.”

  
“I insist, Gareki-kun.” Yogi’s father answered. “We were planned to become your god parents and weren’t there before, so from now on we’ll spoil you a bit more. Yogi helped picking it out actually.” He winked softly. “We still have another present for you.”

  
“For real?” Gareki asked softly.

  
“Mine is next!” Yogi exclaimed, pressing a carefully wrapped package into Gareki’s hands. “And thank you so much for the present, I already love it!” He pulled him into a soft hug. “You’ve got a brilliant sense for presents!”

  
“Thanks?” Gareki answered and looked down at the present he had in his hands. “I’m going ahead.” He pulled on the bow, eyes still resting on the slightly sparkling gift-wrap. It was too pretty to be unwrapped, but Gareki didn’t let himself be bothered by it. A colourful box slipped on his lap and he laughed gently. “That’s—!”

  
“You mentioned that you always wanted one, now your first experimental box! We can try it all out together, Gareki-kun!” Yogi joined in his laughter. “Let’s have fun over Christmas!”

  
“Yes,” Gareki mumbled, “Let’s have fun.” He held the box tightly in his hands. “Thank you, Yogi.”

  
“You’re welcome!” Yogi answered happily, pressing a soft kiss on Gareki’s cheek. “I love you.”

  
“Me too.”

 

* * *

  
The science competition came steadily closer and Yogi was glad he started fencing again, because the time Gareki had to spend with him grew steadily rarer, so rare indeed that Yogi even started taking advanced lessons that he never quite had the time to do before (but with Gareki’s study tips and without Gareki’s presence, he had it and more free time than ever). His grades hadn’t dropped again and so his parents didn’t even mind paying for it. But right now, there was nothing for him to do besides staring on his phone, waiting for a response.

  
“Yogi, could you—“ his mother started, but halted when she saw him. “Gareki-kun will have more time again soon, sweetie. Just a week longer and then you can spend the entire Easter vacation with him. Doesn’t that sound nice?”

  
He nodded slightly. “Science is great and all, but I really miss him mum. We didn’t even share any words in the break, he just… told me to shut up while he slept on my lap. Which is cute and all, but – don’t tell Gareki-kun I mentioned him and cute in the same sentence,” he took a breath, “but I really miss talking to him. I don’t even know what his project is. I only know that programming is a part of it and our teacher can’t help him.” He let his head fall on the table. “I just really miss my boyfriend, mum…”

  
His mother pursed her lips. “How about you stand up, pretend your mobile phone’s battery is out and you occupy yourself. I’m sure I can keep you busy for a bit.” She ruffled his hair. “He didn’t end things with you, he’s just a bit busy.”

  
“Alright…” he mumbled and turned his phone off. “What do I do first?”

  
His mother smiled brightly at him. “I was thinking about repainting the living room. Do you want to help me?”

  
“Sure,” he answered putting his mobile on the table. “I’ve got nothing better to do.”

 

* * *

  
With his mother to keep him busy, the science competition came much quicker than Yogi would have thought this blessed and cursed day would ever come.

  
But here he was, standing in his room, three hours before the doors of the museum the competition was held opened, having a hard time to decide on a shirt. Annoyed with his own inability, he just gripped both and headed to his parents bedroom.

  
Stepping into it without even knocking, he held the shirts up. “Which one?” he asked his mother.

  
“Good morning to you too, Yogi,” she mumbled sitting up and rubbed her eyes. “I think the blue one would suit the occasion more. Why are you up already? It’s a Saturday.”

  
He narrowed his eyes. “It’s Gareki’s big day and I’m going to be a prober boyfriend who’s there half an hour early.” He declared and shuffled out of their bedroom again.

  
“Tell him that he can come with me later,” his father mumbled to his wife, because Yogi had already closed the door behind himself. “I’m going to be there at that time anyway.”

  
“Tell him yourself,” she answered. “It’s nice how early he woke up. If only school would excite him so much.”

  
He chuckled lightly. “Nobody is that excited for school, darling. Besides he does wake up earlier because he’s looking forward to seeing Gareki at school.”

  
“Just who raised him to be such a lovesick puppy?” she mumbled. “It’s cute, but he’ll grow jealous for sure when Gareki-kun even looks after someone the wrong way.”

  
“That’s for Gareki-kun to figure out,” he mentioned, “We’ve raised him as good as we could.”

 

* * *

  
Yogi seemed to be considerably excited. So excited in fact, that his father took him aside because he just couldn’t keep calm. “Everything will be alright, Yogi”, he told him. “The winner will be announced soon and you’re going to hug Gareki tightly. Just keep your feet calm for a moment longer.”

  
Yogi looked around with wide eyes. “But what if Gareki-kun won’t win? They are all so amazing.”

  
“Then you’ll be there to comfort him,” his father ruffled his hair, but then smoothed it out again. “It won’t break his academic career, don’t worry.” He smiled slightly and pressed a soft kiss on Yogi’s forehead. “What will damage yours is that you aren’t able to decide on a plan. So do not worry for Gareki-kun. He’ll be fine.”

  
“Gareki-kun will be fine,” Yogi repeated slowly and nodded. “I’ll just sit down in the corner and keep my fingers crossed anyway.”

  
“Do that,” his father said. “Just keep calm. You’re making me nervous. What if I accidentally say Arumerita Gareki? He’ll hate me forever.”

  
Yogi halted for a moment and then nodded. “Probably.”

  
“Exactly. So please keep your feet calm or I’m going to make you run home and back until I announce the winner.” He chuckled again, but then turned around as well and went back to the staff.

  
Yogi sat down on a chair, front row, mind you, but relatively close to the end. He’d have to believe in Gareki. And into these cute little robots Gareki had made that acted a ridiculous amount like real animals. (Even though Yogi didn’t understand what exactly their use was.)

  
He considered again. Somehow most inventions here had something to do with toys. Maybe there was some kind of theme every year? Suddenly something landed on his lap, he blinked as he realized it was a ball from the den Gareki had put his two robots it. The robots, one wouldn’t quite believe they were robots, if one didn’t see their frame. If Gareki had put them into some sort of fur though… things would look entirely different.

  
Taking the ball into his hand, he walked up to the small den. “You lost something, Gareki-kun,” he told him as he offered it to him.

  
“You look so gloomy, what’s up?” Gareki asked as he took the ball and let it fall to the ground where one of the robots immediately threw himself onto it and played with it.

  
Yogi shook his head. “I was just thinking. Do these competitions have some sort of theme?”

  
Gareki nodded slightly. “It’s not a… theme per se though. More like an idea itself. If there would be submitted something entirely different, it wouldn’t be regarded negatively, but for people who have too many, they can narrow it down with the suggested theme.” He sat down on a chair. “Come in, they don’t bite.”

  
“Why is it so closed then?” Yogi questioned, slightly amused.

  
“Because I don’t want people to be too rough with them. The judges are fair, but not every contestant.” Gareki grinned. “You always wanted a pet, play with them for me. I need a break.”

  
Yogi chuckled. “Share your food with me and tell me the theme. Why is so much toy related?”

  
Gareki sighed softly. “The theme is pretty sad. ‘How to make children’s stays in hospitals more comforting?’ I just thought kids like pets, don’t they?” He opened up his lunch and offered some to Yogi.

  
He looked at Gareki’s lunchbox with slightly narrowed eyes. “You made this yourself, didn’t you?” Then he shook his head. “It’s almost as tasty as mum’s lunch, but not as pretty to look at is it.”

  
“You don’t have to eat,” Gareki hissed slightly.

  
But Yogi only shook his head. “You already have the hardest part down! Mine looks cute, but you can’t really eat it. I’d never think about offering it to anybody.”

  
Gareki slid from the chair and sat down on the ground next to Yogi. “I missed this…”

  
Yogi’s eyes lit up. “Me too. I love you, Gareki-kun.”

  
Gareki smiled. “I love you too.”

 

* * *

  
Yogi almost jumped up from his chair when his father announced Gareki to be the winner of this year’s science competition, but he kept calm, as his father had asked him to be. Just clapping, he told himself and almost cried of relief.

  
His father ruffled Gareki’s hair, saying something out of earshot from the media and Gareki nodded, maybe he said something too, but that Yogi couldn’t see. He could however see disappointment in some other faces and it took him a moment to even realize why too blinded by his own happiness.

  
Eventually, Gareki had made his way to him and Yogi pulled him into a tight hug. “You’re brilliant,” he told him and gave him a soft kiss.

  
“Brilliant? Not really. But thank you for the encouragement, Yogi,” he answered, pressing their foreheads together. “Your father invited me over. Dinner at yours?”

  
“Sounds amazing!” Yogi answered.

  
Someone caught behind Gareki and Yogi looked up to see a teacher that wasn’t from his school. “Can we help you?” Yogi asked him when Gareki turned around.

  
“Good morning,” Gareki greeted him instead. “Long time not seen.”

  
“Good morning, Gareki-kun,” he answered. “It’s nice to see you again. How have you been?”

  
“I’m good. Things finally smoothen out, sensei.” He responded and Yogi blinked. Was he Gareki’s old science teacher?

  
The man smiled at Gareki. “That’s nice to hear. I see you’re not alone today either. Who’s your friend?”

  
Gareki pressed Yogi’s hand for a short moment. “This is Yogi and he’s actually my boyfriend,” he introduced him. “He’s a classmate of mine.”

  
The teacher nodded, clearly relived. “And here I was afraid that you would be unhappy in your new school. It’s good to see I was wrong.” He patted Gareki on the shoulder, Yogi could see how Gareki wanted nothing more than to pull himself out of reach, but didn’t do it out of respect. “I’ll head back to my class. You should visit sometime.”

  
“Sure!” Gareki answered and added, “How about never?” as soon as he was out of earshot.

  
Yogi chuckled lightly. “Never is a big word too.”

  
“I disliked that school. Never gonna go there again.” He turned around and hid his face in Yogi’s neck. “Any plans for Eastern?”

  
“Besides buying too much chocolate to eat in a lifetime?” He shook his head. “None yet. Will you sleep over?”

  
Gareki shrugged slightly. “If I get an invitation? I’m not start to say, ‘Ah, by the way, I’m sleeping in your bed today, I hope you changed the sheets in the last two days!” He grinned slightly and Yogi rolled his eyes.

  
“A bit of warning would be appreciated. Like two minutes.” He shook his head. “I mean, you can say that. Really randomly. Without any warning. I like having you over, it’s amazing. Because you’re amazing. And when we have vacations, we don’t even have to take care of starting to sleep early enough.” He put his arms around Gareki and pulled him close. “Someday, I’ll just capture you and hold you forever.”

  
“I’ll miss food you attention vampire”, Gareki joked lightly. “And you’ll miss your social networking.”

  
“There is nothing wrong with my social networking. At least I use my phone,” he argued lightly. “Not like you with the wasted 20 mp camera for what? Do you even have pictures?”

  
“Of course I do. Who’d not use it? I have the whole progress of my pets documented.” Gareki seemed proud, even though Yogi didn’t quite understand of what.

  
“Well, I’ve got our whole relationship documented in pictures. Social skills for win.” He grinned and snuggled into Gareki. “I’m already looking forward to your stay, Gareki-kun!”

  
“…Don’t say that with a grin like that, you creeper.” Gareki just mumbled in response.

 

* * *

  
“Do you already have any plans for your vacation, Gareki-kun?” Yogi’s father asked over dinner and Gareki shook his head.

  
“Yogi invited me over, but none otherwise,” he then clarified after swallowing his food. “Why are you asking?”

  
He seemed to think. “We were planning on giving you a present for winning the competition, but since we didn’t know your plans, we couldn’t book the flight or the hotel yet.”

  
Gareki blinked and then shook his head. “I absolute will not accept a vacation as present. You’ve already done too much for me.” He crossed his arms, resolute.

  
“I have barely done anything for you, Gareki-kun,” his father argued and Yogi watched their exchange interested.

  
“What about the letter of recommendation? It got me a scholarship at my first choice,” Gareki responded without missing a beat, “I am thankful, but I won’t ever be able to pay back that favour.”

  
Yogi’s father reached over to ruffle Gareki’s hair. “That wasn’t any bother. I want to be able to look into my best friend’s eyes when I meet him ago and tell him I did all I could for you.” There was a uncomfortable silence, that almost made Yogi cringe. “I wanted to take you in, but I also understood your aunt. I wanted to help but she didn’t accept it. Now that I can do something, I want to do everything before I lose the chance again.”

  
Yogi could see how Gareki’s resolution crackled. “Alright,” he mumbled. “But only a weekend.”

  
“With Yogi. And I can pick the destination,” his father agreed eager. “You’ll have a lot of fun, I promise.”

  
Gareki shrugged lightly. “I’d be offended if you send me somewhere alone, when I was planning to do stuff with Yogi already.”

  
That was it. That was the entire discussion. That was what landed Yogi in a resort. That was what landed him in this bed that was way too comfortable with Gareki who wasn’t wearing enough and was still sweating.

  
He watched the droplets roll down Gareki’s back, and then heard Gareki flipping a page. “Can I help you or are you good?”

  
“The view is pretty good!” He stopped breathing and hid his face in the pillow. “Tell me I didn’t just say that.”

  
“You hit on your boyfriend.” He stared at Yogi for some time and then sat up with a sighed. “What’s wrong with that?”

  
“How can you be so damn sexy while reading? It isn’t even my type…” Yogi mumbled perking up from the pillow, but still hugged it close to his chest.

  
Gareki winked. “Want me to dress up as your type?” He put a bookmark in the book and stood up making his way to his suitcase.

  
“Please don’t…” Yogi mumbled. “I find that I cannot bear it. You’re already so attractive.”

  
“You can be actually funny if you try to be,” Gareki answered and pulled out a black shirt, Yogi knew all too well. “Skinny jeans were with it, weren’t there? I’m sure I packed your favourite pants.” He threw some clothes on the floor before he found what he was looking for, then he put the jeans and the shirt tidily on the bed before packing everything properly folded back into the suitcase. “There we go, this will be way too much clothes for this temperature… The stupid things you do for love.” He slid down the shorts he was wearing and changed them for the tight black pants and then slid the shirt over his head. Yogi could still see a bit of Gareki’s stomach under the hem of the shirt when Gareki mussed up his hair. “This is actually comfortable, but my parent would flip if I dressed like this.”

  
“What a shame,” Yogi commented, taking in the sight with diluted pupils. “That sure is… a shame.”

  
Gareki sat down on the bed, pushing Yogi’s face up until their eyes met and kissed him. While Yogi enjoyed being close, that close and kissing, he fought for taking control. Sure, Gareki was more skilled now than in the beginning, but he always had to lure out the sweetness in his kisses.

  
Yogi knew for Gareki it was the exact opposite. He always tried (and often than not also accomplished) to lure the fierceness out of Yogi’s kisses. Bruised and bitten lips, soft panting, seemed to be what he desired. Never possessiveness. Yogi had tried it once and Gareki hadn’t kissed him again for days after.

  
He wanted sweetness. His hands fumbled slightly with Gareki’s shirt, pushing it up, more up than it had slid up before. The beautiful muscular back. He ended the kiss and pressed one on Gareki’s neck, only to reconsider it and softly biting in the soft flesh. Maybe Gareki wouldn’t kiss him again for days put that was and would be completely fine.

  
Gareki moaned softly. Yogi hoped it was pleasure and not pain. He let go of the skin, running his tongue over it and then running it up Gareki’s neck. The slightly bitter taste was oddly sweet.

  
“Yogi?” Gareki whispered and waited until Yogi’s gaze found him. “I want that.”

  
He found himself pressed into the pillows. “Me too.” He dropped some more kisses all over Gareki’s face before he met his lips again. “How can a person be so—” Gareki shut him up from even thinking something else, kissing him, biting his lips. It was still an odd sensation to Yogi.

  
Gareki grinned slightly into the kiss. “Your parents,” he told him between kisses, “probably didn’t account that.”

  
“They…” Yogi shook his head. “They probably did.”


	2. What if # 1: Playmates

Yogi adored his friend. He really couldn’t imagine what life without Garekun would be like. “Yogi!” His mother reprimanded him sharply from outside the weird bars that limited his room to crawl. He let go of them and crawled back to Gareki who was playing with colourful blocks, building a little village.

  
He’d rather play with toys. Nyan-tan was probably bored. He hadn’t had a playmate for weeks. Ever since Garekun got the blocks. He pulled Nyan-tan closer to his body. Not even the adults wanted to play with him. And Garekun had no interest anymore.

  
Settling as far from his mother as the bars allowed he sat on the floor and started crying. He just wanted to play with somebody. Why wouldn’t anybody give Nyan-chan and him some attention?

  
A warm hand settled on his hair an petted him carefully. “What got you sad Yogi?” he heard his father ask gently and latched onto him. Holding his shirt as tight as he could and just cried more. “hey, hey, I’m here now. Don’t be sad. Did mommy use her scary voice on you?” He shook his head.

  
“Don’t give Yogi ideas,” his mother responded strict.

  
Yogi hid his face. “Then stop scaring our baby.” He turned back to Yogi and pulled him into a gentle hug. “What got you so upset?”

  
He just cried more, not losing his grip on his father.

 

* * *

  
He raised him up and carried him out of the play den. Letting him down on his lap when they finally reached the couch he wriggled his fingers, but that didn’t even seem to interest Yogi in the lightest. “Talk to me, Yogi. What is bothering you?”

  
“No one,” he whined, “play.”

  
“Nobody wants to play with you?” his father asked, somewhat confused. “Gareki-chan seemed to be quite excited to play.” He wiped Yogi’s cheeks, but the tears kept coming.

  
Yogi shook his head. “Stupid blocks. Nyan-chan wants play too,” he sniffled and snuggled into his father’s shirt.

  
“You want to play something else?” He ruffled Yogi’s hair. “Stop crying and I’ll play with you.”

 

* * *

  
Yogi calmed down relatively quickly at the prospect that his father would play with him.

 

* * *

  
A few years later the situation was entirely flipped.

  
Gareki was upset, he wasn’t crying yet, but he would soon.

  
Yogi was laughing happily, telling his father about the new friends he had made on his first day of kindergarten. “And there were lots of toys too!” He told his parents, clearly excited to bits. “We were playing with so many soft toys, but Nyanperona will always be my favorite!”

  
Suddenly Gareki sniffled. “I don’t want to go there ever again,” he mumbled.

  
“Then I’m going alone,” Yogi decided. “It’s so much fun! I’m not not going because you don’t wanna!”

  
“Where you homesick, Gareki-kun?” Yogi’s mother asked him, softly running her hand through his hair. “It’ll get better, you see. You’re going to get used to it.”

  
Gareki didn’t say anything else for the entire day.

 

* * *

  
But he didn’t let go of his mother’s hand the next day. He would go in the kindergarten and go out with his mother, that was his plan. She wouldn’t just leave him if he really didn’t want to.

  
Yogi was already playing happily with his new friends. Laughing and clutching Nyanperona against his chest as he did so. He hadn’t even looked at Gareki once, even though all the kids had looked at the drama he was pulling at least once.

  
“Gareki-kun,” his mother mumbled, “I really need to go to work now. Can you please let go of my hand?”

  
“I’m going with you!” he exclaimed, pulling her towards the door.

  
His mother shook her head. “You can’t.”

  
“Why?” Gareki questioned softly, already tearing up.

  
“Gareki-kun…” she mumbled and pressed a kiss on his forehead. “I’m sorry, but that’s just the way it is. Please calm down, I’ll be back before you know it.”

  
It didn’t calm him down. “I don’t wanna…” He teared up. “Kindergarten is stupid.”

  
His hand was taken and he looked up at Yogi’s smiling face. “Don’t worry, aunty! I’ll hold his hand for you! Have a great day!”

  
She pressed a soft kiss on Yogi’s forehead. “Thank you, Yogi-kun. You’re such a brave boy. Please take care of Gareki-kun.”

  
“Will do!” he answered and already dragged Gareki with him to the space he was at earlier.

 

* * *

  
“How was your day?” his mother asked Yogi when she got them from the kindergarten in the late afternoon.

  
Gareki smiled brightly. “Yogi played with me!”

  
“You’re my favorite too! But the other kids are really nice too! Why don’t you ever play with them?” Yogi answered.

  
Gareki never answered. It took Yogi a few years to learn the reason too.


	3. What if  # 2: Vacation

Yogi laughed in happiness and pushed his bangs away. His forehead rested against Gareki’s, hearing his small chuckles. “So, what are we going to do?” Yogi asked in between laughter. “We totally have to do something.”

  
“No, we don’t we just don’t do anything,” Gareki pressed out. “It’s hilarious. We’ve been dating for a year now and they still haven’t caught it- or us.” His hands ruffled through Yogi’s golden hair, making it even messier than it had been before. Yogi’s hands were warm under his shirt and Gareki didn’t want to give that warm up. “And they keep letting us sleep in the same bed too – it’s ridiculous how unsuspending they are.”

  
“They keep trying to set us up though!” Yogi exclaimed, his hands caressing Gareki’s soft skin. “And they even let us go on this trip, with a double room and the nicest double bed ever.” He pressed his face in Gareki’s neck, making a sound a lot like giggling.

  
“And we’re going to keep our hands up in decent regions, because I’m sure they could hear us otherwise.” Gareki pressed a kiss on Yogi’s cheek. “I want a bed like this at home.”

  
“Me too,” Yogi responded. “Let’s get one when we move together. As _roommates_ of course.” He laughed again and dropped on the bed, pulling Gareki with him. “Tonight I’ll hold you captive in my arms like this.”

  
Gareki’s face was red, Yogi could see it even though he had his face slightly hidden. “Don’t say such embarrassing stuff, you idiot.” He mumbled, lightly swatting Yogi. “Remind me why I’m dating you?”

  
Yogi hummed, pressing Gareki into the pillows, hovering above him and after a moment kissed Gareki deeply. His tongue slipped into the others mouth, exploring it almost lazily. Gareki held back the soft moan that threatened to escape, his hands slipping up and under Yogi’s shirt, pulling it up as they mapped their way back up.

  
Then Yogi pulled up pressing another soft kiss on the corner of Gareki’s mouth. “Because I’m a good kisser?” He guessed, chuckling softly as he saw the blush high on Gareki’s cheeks.

  
“…” Gareki needed a moment, but then shook his head. “That’s not the reason.”

  
“Not?” Yogi mumbled and pressed his forehead on Gareki’s. “I’m out of ideas then.”

  
“You’re one of my best friends,” Gareki started, “You’ve always been there for me. And I guess, I just started to love you along the way.” He leaned up to kiss Yogi softly. “I just want to be with you forever.”

  
“Me too…” Yogi mumbled. “Let’s stay together forever.”

  
They spend a long time just kissing and snuggling in a bed that was much softer and more comfortable than the beds they had shared before.

  
So much time in fact, that the next day came too soon and they sat on the breakfast table with their families too tired to participate in the discussions.

  
Instead Gareki stared at the cut of tea in front of him as if he was going to murder it soon, but would start with the bacon. Yogi instead drank coffee instead of hot chocolate, but looked like he was going to drop and fall asleep much more so than Gareki.

  
“What did you do all night?” Gareki’s father asked and Gareki looked at him expressionless before he understood the question.

  
“Yogi was being ridiculous. Talking all night as if sleep didn’t exist.” Gareki stated as emotionless as he looked. “There’s got to be a limit.”

  
“Pft. You answered. You were totally participating.” Yogi complaint softly. Taking a sip of his beverage before scrunching his face in disgust. “And you owe me, you know. I totally won the last round.”

  
“I fell asleep,” Gareki hissed slightly annoyed. “Some human view it as a need not as something enjoyable.” He turned to Yogi, gripped his hair roughly and pulled him close. “You want pay back?”

  
They were so focused on each other, they didn’t see their parents terrified gazes and the slightly confused ones when Gareki closed the distance between them and kissed Yogi roughly.

  
“Happy now?” he growled afterwards, turning away from Yogi and towards his cup of tea, drinking a sip and praying for the codeine to finally kick in.

  
Yogi blinked. “Yes, would have been better with more sleep though, Gareki-kun.” He brushed his hands through his dishevelled locks and then turned back to his breakfast.

  
They only realised their slight mistake when they were up from another nap, a real nap and their mothers asked them why they hadn’t mentioned that they were dating.

  
Gareki only groaned and pressed his hand over his eyes while Yogi looked almost scandalised at the curse that slipped out of Gareki’s mouth.


	4. What if  # 3: College

Yogi fell on Gareki’s bed with a soft groan. It was theirs really, they had shared it ever since they moved into the dorm.

  
“What’s up, Yogi?” Gareki asked, looking up from his novel. “Don’t groan like that.”

  
Yogi sniffled softly. “I thought you loved me, Garekun!” he answered almost scandalized. “I had some trouble with that girl who crushed on me. I told you about her?”

  
“The crazy stalker that leaves love letters at the living room? Yes, you did,” Gareki marked the page and put the book aside for later. “What did she do now?”

  
“Came up to me and told me she’d die if I didn’t love her back. With a knife.” He put his arm over his eyes and groaned once more. “When I explained to her again that I loved you and you alone she almost knifed me. Bless the gods that I am fencing my whole life. She almost gave me a scar.”

  
Gareki put his hand on Yogi’s cheek. “Are you fine? Did you tell someone else?”

  
“Yes and no,” he smiled oddly. “She did all of that right in front of a prof I had been talking with before she interrupted me. Crazy. What a crazy girl. Why can’t all girls be like Tsukumo-chan or Iva-san?”

  
“I think Iva is a bad example. She beat you into the ground before because she thought you were whistling after a girl.”

  
Yogi shifted his weight until his head was on Gareki’s lap. “If I had done that, I would have deserved a beating. I was already dating you. Maybe a bit less impulsive than Iva-san though.”

  
Gareki ruffled his hair, almost absentminded. “Let’s order pizza to celebrate you survival in this mad house.” He proposed softly. “And check afterwards—“

  
It knocked on the door. Yogi whined softly. “Don’t wanna…”

  
“Let me go. Maybe it’s something important.” He pushed a pillow under Yogi’s head and stood up. “Stay good.”

  
“Woof,” Yogi responded sarcastically and pulled the pillow close to his body.

  
“Uncle!” Gareki called out when he opened the door. “Good afternoon!”

  
“Hello Gareki-kun, it’s nice to see you.” He ruffled the raven hair. “How are you? I’ve gotten a call about Yogi.”

  
Yogi perked up from his pillow. “That was half an hour ago. You can’t have come here from home.” And buried himself into the pillow once more.

  
His father laughed softly. “I was in town when your mother called me. You can’t begin to guess how glad we are that you started dating Gareki-kun seriously and not one of these crazy people you seem to attract otherwise.”

  
Yogi laughed joyless and Gareki changed the subject. “We were thinking about ordering pizza to celebrate Yogi staying alive. Do you want to join us?”

  
“Sure, where does one order the best pizza here?” he asked, already slipping out of his coat. “Oh, I talked with your parents. We’ll buy you a flat soon. This is getting too wild for our tastes.”

  
Yogi nodded. “That’ll be nice. I want a bathtub.”

  
“You’ll get one. And a new kitchen and an office. Don’t worry, boys. Just keep dating,” he laughed.


	5. Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything was good until it suddenly wasn't anymore.

Gareki couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong when Yogi’s parents didn’t get them from the airport. Yogi seemed unbothered by it, but Gareki knew he was bothered – either that or disappointed. He took his hand and shouldered his bag once more. “Well, let’s surprise them then,” Gareki tried to cheer him up. “Or do you rather want to have some more fun?”  
Yogi seemed pensive for a moment. “Let’s surprise them. I’m… not comfortable with my family forgetting to get us.” He pressed his hand. “They didn’t even send me a message. Something must have happened.”  
“Don’t speak of the devil,” Gareki answered in a sad attempt to take his own worry. “Let’s go. Do you want to take the subway? Might be quicker and less expensive than a taxi this time.”  
“Sure…” Yogi mumbled, gripping his bag tightly with his other hand. “Sure, let’s go ahead.”  
He basically dragged Gareki to the subway, never mind that Gareki almost tripped and his hand hurt by the time they reached Yogi’s home.  
Gareki wasn’t quite sure though if his hand really was what hurt. It was a mess. His thoughts, the front yard, the house.  
For the first time in a long time, Gareki was actually scared. Yogi might not be thinking anymore, he was storming into his house, past the police, the paramedics.  
Gareki’s heart beat a few painful times, thinking of the last time he saw a scene like this. Tsubaki was bleeding out. Had bled out already. He was holding her cold hand, calling out her name. Yotaka and Tsubame were crying against their grandfather’s shirt.  
He was next to Yogi. Yogi who was talking to Miumari.  
Blood. Blood ran everywhere. It was on Yogi’s hands, the medic’s hands out of Miumarie’s stomach. “Everything is going to be alright!” Yogi told her, tears running down his face.  
“’m scared…” Miumari whispered, voice barely audible.  
“Big bro is here now,” Yogi told her, hand running through her golden hair. “Don’t be scared, Miu-chan! We’ll be watching trashy television shows again soon!”  
She smiled. “…can’t wait…” Her eyes closed slowly. Smile still on her lips.  
Miumari had stopped breathing.  
Gareki could remember Yogi crying out her name. He could also see how the medics did their best.  
He was understanding Yogi’s furiousness when they mumbled, they couldn’t do anything for her.

* * *

  
Gareki was sitting next to Yogi’s bed. He wasn’t smiling, he wasn’t mad.  
“I want to know who did this…” Yogi mumbled softly. His nails dug into his palms. “I need to. Why isn’t the police doing anything?”  
He breathed out, pulling his arms close. “I’ll help you,” Gareki answered. “I’m not going to leave your side. Not now, not ever.”  
The flowers on Yogi’s bedside would wither soon.  
“You’re everything I have, Gareki-kun… Please don’t leave me too.” Yogi mumbled, reaching out for him.  
Gareki almost smiled. “I won’t.”

* * *

  
Yogi eventually moved in with Hirato and Tsukumo. It wasn’t the best solution, but Gareki was glad, Yogi didn’t live on his own.  
On an entirely related matter, Gareki thought, black didn’t suit Yogi. Maybe white or blue, even oddly more colourful colours. But black? Maybe it was Yogi’s entire demeanour in this suit resonating sadness. The sadness didn’t suit him either.  
Although it was entirely understandable.  
He sat next to Yogi on the cold ground. The graves were fresh, the funeral fresh in mind. Not all photographers and journalists had quite disappeared, but the next one who would ask Yogi how he felt, the very next one Gareki would murder.  
His hand ran up and down Yogi’s back in a motion he hoped was comforting, but Yogi had his face buried in Gareki’s neck and cried and cried.  
For the first time, Gareki wished he was good at talking nonsense. Maybe sweet nonsense would help at calming Yogi. But maybe his voice would crack when he spoke, maybe his own tears would spill.  
Gareki couldn’t help but wish that Yogi would one day find his smile again.

* * *

  
Yogi was sleeping. Had exhausted himself so much he fell asleep.  
Gareki couldn’t sleep. Not anymore. He flipped the newspaper page, hoping to see something else in this one than he had seen in the ones before. Almost throwing it on the ground when he did. His eyes narrowed.  
This newspaper mentioned bugs. Cockroaches to be specific, running around on the floors. Miumari had been dying, Yogi’s parents couldn’t have been death for much longer. He remembered just accepting them as sign of death, they had been there when Tsubaki had been murdered too, but they weren’t quite normal. Gareki closed his eyes. He had read about it.  
He raised himself, walking over to the board in Yogi’s room, the one where they kept everything they found out about the murder. In small lettering Gareki wrote ‘Cockroaches’ on it, in even smaller lettering he added ‘Kafka?’. He ripped the newspaper article out and pinned it next to it.  
He went back to the research, but there was nothing more to be found in the newspapers. Gareki threw them on a stack and almost left the room. Before he remembered telling his mother he would sleep over today and sad stubbornly on the ground leaning against Yogi’s bed with crossed arms. Until sleep did claim him long past midnight.

* * *

  
“You’re really good at this…” Yogi mumbled, watching over Gareki’s shoulder. “I’m sorry I’m not more help. I asked you, but you always have to do everything on your own.”  
Gareki shrugged. “I want to find out too. It’s no bother.” He clicked a few times more and suddenly the screen changed. “If this was a stupid movie, I’d say, we’re in. These ‘Kafka’ guys should really rework their security.”  
Yogi hummed in appreciation. “This is so awesome, Gareki-kun.”  
He wasn’t sure whether Gareki had heard him, he was immersed in the world of his – well, it was technical Yogi’s – laptop.

* * *

  
Hirato’s gaze wandered over the walls of Yogi’s room. “You have an interesting taste in decoration, Yogi.”  
He nodded, not even listening. “Thanks, just put it on the table.” He turned to another page.  
“What are you reading?” Hirato asked amused.  
He was silent for a moment. “Kafka’s reasoning for killing my family. And Gareki’s for that matter,” he mumbled. “Not that you’d know what that means…”  
Hirato narrowed his eyes and walked to him silently. When Yogi least expected it, Hirato took the papers out of his hands and started reading them himself. “How did you get this?”  
“I’m not allowed to tell you.” Yogi responded reaching out for them. “Give them back.”  
Hirato leaned close to him. “How did you get involved with them. How did you get them. Do you know in how much danger you are?”  
Yogi looked at him defiantly. “The police isn’t doing anything, so I’ll—“  
“The police isn’t doing anything because Interpol is involved, you idiot. They have been trying to bring them behind bars for years and now you sit here with incriminating evidence,” he hissed. “Where did you get it?”  
Yogi was silent, his gaze wandered over the walls. “…We’re nowhere close, Hirato-san…” he mumbled.  
“Call Gareki. Tell him that he and his family should come here immediately. Just what were you thinking? You involved Gareki.” He massaged his temples. “I’ve to make some calls.”  
When Hirato had left the room, Yogi took his mobile and took pictures of his walls before he called Gareki.

* * *

  
Gareki seemed unimpressed by the presence of the red haired stranger and his company. He had also never been impressed by Hirato either. He was just sitting next to Yogi, crossed legs, annoyed expression all around. “What’s so important?” he asked.  
“I’ll never understand why Yogi dates someone with your attitude,” Hirato avoided his question. “You’re his—“  
“If you invite us over don’t insult the child I raised.” Yogi was surprised, how Gareki’s aunt immediately came to his defence.  
Yogi nodded. “Don’t be rude to Gareki-kun. He’s much kinder than you are.” He looked at Gareki’s aunt – the person Gareki kept calling his parent and Yogi recognized for the first time that she really was. “Hirato-san was unhappy I preferred the… essay over a talk.”  
“Ah.” Gareki answered. “So this got me here. But my parent?”  
Hirato raised an eyebrow. “Is here because you two got yourselves involved with a criminal organisation that almost successfully killed everybody of your family.”  
Gareki rolled his eyes. “Their security system was so bad, it was an invitation.”  
The red haired man snorted. “Bad? What are you on? I need some of that stuff.”  
“Arumerita Gareki,” Hirato tested softly. “Right?”  
Gareki shook his head and his gaze wandered to his aunt. “I know of him.” Then his gaze wandered back to Hirato. “I have never and will never use that name.”  
“An Arumerita?” The red haired man whistled softly. “I had the honour of working with one before. The name isn’t that common either.”  
Hirato sat down. “I would guess, Gareki-kun here is even smarter than his father, Tsukitachi. Because he was able to crack Kafka’s database. His father died trying.”  
“He didn’t just try. He created an account,” Gareki hissed softly. “He got himself administator rights.” He ruffled his hair. “I saw it when I was trying to get in. Funnily enough, I’m an admin in their network now.“  
“That is truly incredible,” Hirato answered, “And endangers you even more. What did your father think he was doing?”  
Gareki grinned slightly. “That’s for me to know and you to guess. Can I go now? I still have to get back to my own research. There are things waiting to be finished.”  
“You aren’t going to go to Karasuna anymore.” Tsukitachi interrupted him. “You are going into a witness protection program.” He raised his hands as if he was trying to calm him down. “You can help from there. Anywhere you ever wanted to do? Yogi? You’re coming from a vacation, didn’t you have fun?” He winked. “We’re not going to underpay you.”  
“Yogi?” Gareki asked, softly. “You should go somewhere. If it’s not save for you, you should…”  
“Not without you. You’re everything I’ve got left. Everything. I’m not going to hide while you put your life on the line!” he was interrupted. Yogi stood in front of him tears in his eyes. “If I lose you too, I don’t want to be save.”  
“Alright,” Gareki answered and threw his aunt an apologizing gaze. “Where do you want to go? Where should we hide?”  
“Have you ever… ever been in my home country?” Yogi questioned softly. “I know the capital might not be safe when Kafka is really out to kill us, but… a smaller town?”  
“Your home country?” Gareki asked, slightly confused. “I should have started a search on the internet—“  
“Rimhakka. My family used to be a royal family before we voted to have democratic system.” He closed his eyes. “I haven’t been there for a long time.”  
Gareki shrugged. “It’s your pick. I am content everywhere as long as I have some books, a roof over my head and a warm meal.”  
His aunt chuckled softly. “You did insist on a vacation when you were smaller, Garechin.”  
Gareki grumbled softly.

* * *

  
They really hadn’t looked at the money while they prepared their new home and identities. Gareki took a look around in the empty plane, Yogi was snoozing a bit against his shoulder and Gareki didn’t have the heart to wake him. He needed sleep, much more so sleep without being plagued by nightmares.  
Gareki ran his hand softly through Yogi’s hair, smoothing it out and watching it jumping back at its wavy self.  
“You didn’t listen to me,” his parent mumbled, “And now you got yourself in a mess…”  
“Yes, but I think the mess is worth the… trouble. They didn’t only kill Yogi’s family, but my father and with an extent my mother. They’re also at fault for Tsubaki’s death.” He shrugged. “If I hadn’t started dating Yogi, I would be ignorant forever.”  
“And you hate being ignorant,” she completed his sentence. “But aren’t you too young for getting your heart broken? You’re only 17.”  
He shrugged lightly. “I don’t think Yogi will break my heart, he’s loyal like a puppy.” He grinned softly. “And I haven’t creeped him out yet.”  
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you, Gareki. Love is dangerous.” She reprimanded him, “Look where it got your parents.”  
He didn’t respond.

* * *

  
The flat was nicely sized and in comforting colours with security having the flat above, bellow and right across from them, a stocked fridge, soft beds, the fastest Wi-Fi connection Gareki had the pleasure of using and security buttons in every room. He rolled together in front of the laptop he had been given and deleted every bit of spyware he found. Did they thing he was stupid?  
Yogi had his face pressed into a pillow on his new bed – or theirs. They hadn’t talked about that yet. “What are you doing?” Yogi eventually asked.  
“Deleting stuff I don’t want.” He leaned against the wall. “They might think I’m stupid, but I’m not.”  
“Nobody thinks you’re stupid,” Yogi mumbled, maybe they had hoped you didn’t remember to check because it was still in his package?” He yawned slightly. I just slept on the plane,” he complained. “How can I be tired again?”  
“Sadness uses a lot of energy, so we should eat before you sleep.” Gareki closed the laptop. “I’m finished here anyway.”  
“Alright,” Yogi mumbled, stretching himself. “What do I need to eat before sleeping?” His face didn’t look a fraction as content as it should at the prospect of food.  
Gareki shrugged. “Your pick, but no sweets. You need energy not a sugar rush.”  
Yogi nodded. “How about… lasagne?”  
“Help me cooking then, don’t just sit there.” He offered his hand for Yogi to take, Yogi needed a moment, but took it and let himself be pulled up again.

* * *

  
Yogi dug into the food with so much gusto, Gareki raised an eyebrow, but didn’t comment. His aunt chuckled softly. “Gareki is a good cook, isn’t he?”  
“Mh-hm,” Yogi answered and swallowed. “He’s almost as good as mom. But mom was never good with lasagne, so he takes this place for sure!” His gaze dropped slightly. “I’m sorry for endangering Gareki-kun.”  
“He’s stubborn like his mother,” she answered. “But hopefully he won’t die from it.”  
“I won’t,” Gareki interrupted. “Nobody is going to die anymore. Not one single life more.” He raised his fork and dug into his food. “They’ve taken enough lives.”  
His aunt shook his head. “But can you decide that just like that?” she inquired. “They still have their own heads.”  
Gareki snorted. “They have everything connected to their network, even their coffee machines. I’m going to drown them.”  
“Hopefully not in coffee. The poor person who has to clean up afterwards…” his aunt mumbled. “Why don’t you just lock the doors and turn off the air circulation? Much cleaner.”  
Gareki hummed softly. “I could reverse it, then it would be quick too… Good idea.”  
“Are you… really planning on killing them?” Yogi asked softly. “Do you really think, you could live the rest of your life knowing you killed a human being? Much less so much more than one?”  
Gareki closed his eyes and nodded. “Probably, yes. I’d rather solve this peacefully, but they started killing. You know how we learned in school ‘Act according to a maxim which can be adopted at the same time as a universal law’, so Kafka’s members surely want to be murdered too.”  
“But that would be—“ Yogi’s gaze turned hard. “That would be telling them that it was fine to murder our families.”  
“It can’t be helped anymore either way,” Gareki mumbled. “So I don’t have to be fine. I just have to accept that it can’t be helped anymore.”  
Yogi shook his head but settled back on his chair, finishing his food in silence.  
For the first time Gareki felt as if the silent between them could be uncomfortable, but he had had worse. His aunt glared at him.  
There was nothing one could change about the human – Kafka’s nature. Some were more murderous than others and he needed to protect the ones he had left before he could move on.  
He sighed.

* * *

  
Yogi stared at him from the other side of the bed. “I don’t want you to kill them, Gareki-kun. They’ve hurt us, sure, but I don’t want you to taint your hands for them.”  
Gareki shook his head. “I wouldn’t really taint them. Don’t worry.” He fell down on the bed almost like a rock. “I just need to protect you and my parent. It’s not just you who lost your family. I lost my second parent too.”  
He felt Yogi’s hand on his cheek, thumb softly caressing it. “Then you should understand me too, Gareki-kun. I don’t want to lose you – or even a part of what makes you you.” There was something wet on his cheek.  
“Don’t cry, Yogi. Everything is going to be fine eventually.” Gareki mumbled and opened his eyes. “Just stay save for a bit, I’ll do my best – without murdering them. I might still boycott them. Break the coffee machine, some computers, heaters. Just to keep them distracted for a while about a bigger project.”  
Yogi chuckled, but it still didn’t sound right to Gareki, more like a swallowed sob. “Please do that, Gareki-kun. Make yourself known as a menacing gremlin to them.”  
Gareki pushed his hands through Yogi’s hair and pulled him closer. “I will.” Then, just like that, he kissed him.

* * *

  
It didn’t matter how busy Gareki seemed to be, he never skipped cooking lunch and dinner, even if sometimes in the middle of it he went back to the laptop, pressing a few keys and then went back to preparing the food. Sometimes he even skipped the meals he had cooked and favoured the laptop.  
“What are you doing that’s more important than taking care of yourself?” Yogi asked softly and sat down on the desk next to Gareki and put a filled plate on it.  
“I can’t just keep normal business hours, Yogi. How obvious would it be that someone else is in?” He responded and took the plate. “Thanks. Do you think you could give me an idea for a second?”  
“An idea?” Yogi questioned lightly.  
Gareki nodded. “With the time difference it’s just the end of the morning shift right now. What would ruin your entire morning?”  
“Can you fake an alarm? I was always so annoyed when there were these fake alarms in school—“  
“What cause? Fire? Leaked radioactivity?” Gareki asked, already scrowling down a list. “Wait. What did I just?”  
Yogi blinked. “Why did you say radioactivity?”  
Gareki swallowed. “It’s… there is a warning for that too. What kinds of experiments are they doing with radioactivity?” he whispered horrified. That didn’t change that he was curious though and clicked a few times. “Fuck.”  
“Gareki-kun,” Yogi said sharply. “Didn’t anyone ever wash your mouth out with soap?” He leaned forward to have a better view on the desktop. “What are you cursing at anyway?”  
“It’s better if you don’t look,” Gareki answered quickly. However, it was already too late.  
For a moment Yogi just stared at the display – the pictures besides the text. “What is that?”  
Gareki shook his head. “They are doing human experimentation. I’m starting to think our families were fortunate to be killed so quickly.” He closed his eyes. “I wish I could un-see and un-read that.”  
“They are horrible…” Yogi mumbled. “How are they human?”  
He was quiet for a moment. “There is this idea that what can be done must be done in science.” He then answered, eyes open and distant. “That because atomic bombs can be done, they must be done – created and used.” He shook his head. “I think that’s what they think and how they can call themselves still human, Yogi.”  
“But… that’s horrible…”  
“Not always. In some science fields I would love such practices.” He clicked on the little printer symbol. “I think we should give this to the shitty four eyes.”  
“Gareki-kun?”  
“Medicine for example. Because a sickness can be healed, medics have to heal them, regardless of age, money or status,” he answered Yogi’s unasked question. “A lot of people die because they don’t get the medical help they need.”  
“But never what they are doing right?” Yogi asked, hands shaking lightly.  
Gareki shook his head. “Human experimentation should not be. I know that sometimes the last testing is done with humans, but only when the scientists are convinced that it’s save and animals survived it before.” He took a deep breath. “Kafka doesn’t experiment on animals at all. They want the results and animals slow the progress down. There are plenty of humans in the slums that won’t be missed.”  
Yogi put his hand on Gareki’s tight. For a moment Gareki marvelled at the warm feeling. “I hope they’ll be stopped soon.”  
“Me too,” Gareki answered softly. “I hope these humans can be helped too.”  
Yogi didn’t respond, he had seen the pictures too and hadn’t recognized them as humans at first. His heart clenched at the thought that these… creatures had once been normal human beings. Nobody deserved to end as experiment. Much less because they just didn’t have money or a family.

* * *

  
Yogi was almost ecstatic when Hirato had come for a visit. Gareki wondered for a moment whether it was because they hadn’t been allowed outside if there wasn’t an emergency and they had to go. Maybe Yogi was getting tired of him and his parent.  
They weren’t the brightest and most social persons after all.  
Hirato rolled his eyes at Yogi’s antics. “Yes, I got it. Would you please calm down now?”  
Gareki narrowed his eyes. Hirato got what? In order to get it quickly Yogi sat down on the couch, almost missing it and falling on the ground in the progress but he caught himself. ‘Puppy’ Gareki mouthed to his parent who couldn’t hide her grin.  
“I’m sitting!” Yogi exclaimed happily, but he wasn’t sitting calmly. His legs were constantly moving and he looked like he would jump up at a minutes notice. It seemed to be enough for Hirato though.  
“Here, don’t eat too much at once.” He dumbed a bag of candy on Yogi’s lap and Gareki snorted.  
“You get that excited about some candy?” He asked.  
Yogi glared at him. “Not just any candy!” he exclaimed. “It’s my favourite kind of candy!”  
“What sort of kid are you?” Gareki teased him softly. “I’m going to lock you in the single bedroom nobody uses when you have a sugar hype.”  
Yogi poked his tongue out at Gareki. “I won’t let myself get lured into that room then. Thanks for the warning.”  
Gareki decided to ignore him (much to his protests) from then on and turned towards Hirato. “So what’s the plan?”  
“First of all, you have an hour to pack. They haven’t sniffed you out now, but when they did it’ll be too late. Where do you want to go next?” Hirato told them and threw a gaze on his watch. “50 minutes, I apologize. You bickered too much.”  
“Anywhere as nice as this is fine.” Gareki sighed. “We aren’t allowed outside anyway, so what’s the point?” He gazed at his aunt. “Somewhere a little cooler would be nice though. It’s too hot here even with air conditioning.”  
“I’ll organize everything then, get to packing.” Hirato raised himself and went outside the room, already dialling a number on his mobile.  
Gareki stretched himself. “Well, that was spontaneous. Do we need to pack Yogi or do you think he’ll be able to walk on his own after diminishing these candies?”  
His aunt chuckled softly. “You get yourself in strange situations, Gareki.”  
“Apparently,” he snorted slightly.

* * *

  
Gareki liked the next ‘safe house’ more than the last. At least he didn’t feel like striping and taking a long cold shower after he stepped out of the plane. Yogi was holding his hand, apparently calming down from his earlier rush, or maybe he was even tired after the sugar rush.  
He yawned slightly. Yogi nudged him softly. “You should sleep more, Gareki-kun.” He mumbled and pressed a light kiss on Gareki’s cheek. “You’re keeping impossible hours.”  
“It’s only for a while,” he answered. “When everything ended… We’re going to repeat a school year… aren’t we? My beautiful flawless record.” Gareki sighed. “Can’t be helped, I even had a place at the university I always wanted to attend and a full scholarship for it.”  
Yogi chuckled softly. “I’ve got a year more to decide what I want to do with my life.” He pressed Gareki’s hand. “But I already know one thing: I never want to let go of you.”  
“Crazy person,” Gareki mumbled. “You are a crazy person.”  
“I’m a person who is very much in love and not at all crazy,” Yogi answered. “And you’re going to sleep normal hours tonight. That’ll make them a little more paranoid that something is going to happen soon.”  
Gareki nodded. “Alright. Maybe you’re right…”

* * *

  
It was weird to have Yogi cuddled into him like this – it wasn’t even an again, it was just a still. Gareki pressed his nose in the golden locks that smelled ridiculously like strawberry. “What sort of shampoo are you using anyway?”  
Yogi didn’t answer for a moment. “Promise me not to laugh.”  
“… I can’t do that.” Gareki responded and Yogi sighed.  
“You’ll see it in the morning anyway, won’t you?” he questioned softly, burying his nose in Gareki’s neck.  
“Probably,” he answered and wondered why he hadn’t seen it before.  
“Kids shampoo hurts less when it gets into the eyes…” Yogi then said and fell abruptly silent.  
Gareki tried to nod, but with Yogi so tightly snuggled into him it wasn’t possible. “I understand.”  
It was silent.  
“Not making fun of me?” Yogi asked after what seemed to be hours.  
Gareki snorted. “No. Shampoo does hurt when it gets into the eyes.”  
Yogi chuckled slightly. “Thank you.”  
“I don’t even know what you’re thanking me for,” Gareki mumbled, just somewhat annoyed.  
But Yogi didn’t feel the need to explain.

* * *

  
Gareki wondered whether he had even got a minute of sleep while he had the laptop on his lap, planting a few new annoyances for Kafka. Yogi took in the rest of the couch, slightly dozing. “What am I going to do today? Mess up the food?”  
Yogi shook his head. “I like good food.”  
“Not yours. Kafka employees’”  
Yogi shrugged. “Let it turn into slime for all that I care…” He sneezed softly.  
“Bless you,” Gareki mumbled, gaze wandering to Yogi. “Do you need a blanket?”  
“Maybe, but I want a cuddle buddy. Do you think we can make time or I can get a pet?” Yogi asked softly, pressing slightly against Gareki’s body. “This isn’t as nice as Rimhakka.”  
Gareki blinked. “It is nicer when you’re close to computers or laptops all day. Rimhakka was too hot.”  
Yogi pouted. “Let’s go there on a vacation after this ended. No technical devices allowed. Besides a camera without Wi-Fi.”  
“Then you won’t be able to get a pet until we had this vacation. I have never seen a pet that liked planes.” Gareki grinned softly, and Yogi pressed a little more for a moment.  
“Don’t be mean.” He told him, pouting more. “My pet is going to be fine with flying and if it isn’t Tsukumo-chan might be willing to take her in for a bit.”  
He halted. “Her?”  
“Do you think I don’t have plans for a pet?” Yogi asked. “I want a kitten.”  
“I’m turning their food into slime.”  
Yogi sat up in a rush. “Are you just ignoring what I just told you?” he exclaimed, unhappy.  
“And then we’ll check out cat trees that fit together with the ideas I have with a home when we can settle down like normal human beings.”  
“I love you!”  
“Shut up for a moment.”  
“He-Hey!”

* * *

  
Gareki couldn’t remember how it was to live a normal life when he thought about how much he had already missed. It was normal for him to keep a bag of the few things he didn’t want to part with packed, so whenever Hirato announced their location would be swapped all he had to do was to log out and push the laptop into the bag with it (more carefully than he thought of it) and gave a list of essentials he needed to Hirato (already printed out a few times).  
For Yogi it was harder, he tried to get home in every location, putting up pictures, and toys he was sentimental with. Gareki already knew them by their third swap and put his bag besides the door to help his boyfriend gather them back into a decently sized backpack. He didn’t dare to ask what each of the toys made them precious to Yogi, but he remembered how horrified Yogi had been when one had gone missing (if only until Hirato came in dumped it on his lap and reprimanded Yogi to take care of his stuff).  
Gareki’s aunt just like Gareki had no problems. She wasn’t as uncaring about her things as Gareki, but after the first time, she kept her things tidily in her suitcase. When Hirato announced she just threw all the clothes that were to be washed in a bag and closed the suitcase. From experience, Gareki knew these things were the first ones to be washed in their new safe house.

* * *

  
Yogi dropped on the couch next to Gareki with a soft whine. “Study with me,” he the begged. “I am bored.”  
Gareki hummed, recognizing him. “I’d rather you brainstorm little evils with me.”  
He sniffled softly. “Make their calculations all turn to 42.5,” Yogi mumbled.  
Gareki blinked. “42.5? Seems like a funny idea if odd?”  
“Mhhm. And the subject in every email could be something completely weird. Like the last coffee they got or something.” Yogi pulled the science book closer. “Can we study now?”  
“I might not be able to tell their last coffee, but… maybe what they ordered for lunch…” Gareki nodded. “Give me an hour.”  
One hour eventually turned into two and two into three until Gareki was happy enough with the coding that he stretched himself ready to solve some science problems.  
Yogi was already in bed by then – Gareki found a plate with carefully prepared food in front of himself. He hadn’t realized how quickly the time had passed.  
He ate a few bites and then shovel down the rest before falling into the bed next to Yogi. “We’ll study tomorrow…” he apologized gently and turned the lights off.

* * *

  
When he woke up the next day Yogi pushed his fringe back and pressed their foreheads against each other. It was kind of hazy and much too warm. “Where are we anyway?” he mumbled sleepily.  
“Somewhere in north Europe,” Yogi answered softly. “Do you feel bad?”  
Gareki grunted softly. “Turn off the heater it’s way too warm…”  
Yogi hummed softly. “I will.” He kissed Gareki’s cheek. “Try to get some more sleep, alright?”  
“Yeah, it’s probably the middle of the night anyway… Just turn down the heater and let me sleep…” Gareki rolled on his side, almost immediately he was back asleep.  
Yogi pulled his blanket higher and rolled close to him, sharing his warmth. “I’ll take care of you, don’t worry, Gareki-kun.” He spoke, more to himself than to his boyfriend. “It’s just a little cold, I’m sure…”  
Gareki grumbled slightly and coughed in his sleep.

* * *

  
The next morning, it still was as warm – in Gareki opinion. He sat up and held his head.  
Yogi closed the door carefully behind himself. “Did you sleep well?” he questioned him softly and sat down on the bed, slowly putting his hand on Gareki’s forehead. “You’re still running a light fever aren’t you?”  
“I’m not sick,” Gareki answered, almost whining at the loudness of his own voice. “I just have a bit of a headache.”  
Yogi nodded, chuckling softly. “Sure, whatever you say, Gareki-kun.” He shook his head. “Are you good enough for lunch? We made soup.”  
“Yeah, just gimme a minute. I’ve got to get dressed first.” He was already moving but Yogi shook his head.  
“You don’t need to,” he spoke, running his fingers though Gareki’s hair. “We can have a lazy Sunday on the couch watching silly television shows where people get tricked and come up with new ideas for sure.”  
Gareki halted a moment and then nodded. “Alright then… there should still be a bug in their system they might not have solved then – and if they have… they should be at constant paranoia by now.”  
“Exactly. Lazy Sunday, late to wake up early to crawl back into the bed.”

* * *

  
Gareki found himself wrapped into a warm blanket with a hot cup of tea in his hands and cuddled into Yogi’s side by the time the show ended. It was truly amazing to see Yogi laughing along with the show – to see him laugh for real again.  
“What’s up Gareki?” Yogi asked after he realized Gareki had been watching him instead of the television.  
Gareki shook his head. “You just have a beautiful smile, is all.” He kept cuddled up to Yogi and just closed his eyes for a moment or two.  
And then it was a few hours and Gareki woke up in his bed the next morning. His headache had somewhat calmed down, but he still kept coughing. He narrowed his eyes and pulled his blanket higher.  
Sleeping and drinking were the key by colds.  
Yogi’s warmth was luxury.

* * *

  
The next trick they played on Kafka was the air circulation. By slightly changing the mixture, they turned the employees tired. Gareki was careful not to decrease the oxygen too much so nobody would keep damages, especially not the victims of Kafka’s crimes.  
It was a slight plus that the insects seemed so much more awake in comparison. Gareki chuckled softly when a male member screamed high pitched at seeing a spider on his desk.  
“Gareki-kun!” Yogi called. “Don’t keep the funny stuff to yourself! There are people dying of boredom in this household!”  
“You seem pretty much alive, Yogi!” he called back. “Stop lying!”  
Yogi stepped into the room and halfway jumped on the couch Gareki was sitting on. “I want to study today!” he exclaimed. “I’m not taking a no. You already did your evil deed today.”  
“Alright. We study and then brainstorm evil deeds for in two weeks.” Gareki put the laptop on the table. “And then we watch the security tapes. Today is a good day at the Kafka labs.”  
“Does Hirato-san even know you can watch the security tapes?” Yogi questioned softly, opening a book.  
Gareki snorted lightly. “He does, but the important rooms don’t have security cameras, so I’m only watching the comedic side – the experiments when I’m in for a horror night.”  
“Horror is horrible. I don’t like it.” Yogi answered. “Especially not their experiments. Sorry, I’m not more of a help, Gareki-kun…” He pressed a light kiss on his cheek.  
Gareki shook his head. “To be honest, I don’t want you to see it – it would kill the last faith you still have in humanity. I hang on to it.”  
Yogi nodded slightly. “I promise we’ll have a nice peaceful home when we can have one: With a white painted fence, a cute pet and a beautiful garden.”  
“I’m looking forward to it,” Gareki answered softly and took the book from Yogi’s hands. “It seems like ages since we studied together.”  
“To me it seems like ages since I saw you studying the last time at all. What’s up with my studious boyfriend?” he joked and Gareki snorted slightly.  
“There is a time and a place for everything, while I’m avenging I don’t study chemistry. I can’t even go to school right now, do you think we get at least an alibi for this gap year?” He leaned back on his couch. “I kind of hope we get one, otherwise we just have to marry and pretend we wanted an adventure.”  
Yogi was silent for a moment. “Marriage is for the family. I don’t think I want to marry anymore, I don’t have any family anymore.”  
“I was just joking,” Gareki mumbled. “I don’t quite think marriage is for me either. I don’t need a ring around by finger to know I want to stay with you for lifetimes.”  
“Just for lifetimes?”  
“Isn’t that what an eternity is made of?” Gareki answered softly and sneezed. “Stupid cough…” he grumbled lightly.  
Yogi smiled brightly. “You’re so—“  
“Don’t say it.” Gareki glared at him and Yogi leaned forward, first pressing a soft kiss on his tremble and then mumbled ‘—cute’ in his ear. Gareki pushed him lightly.  
“Don’t be a bully, Yogi.”  
“Don’t be a stranger, Gareki-kun.”  
They laughed.

* * *

  
Gareki missed his tree house, to be able to come and go on a whim, he even missed school. He missed his freedom. But he treasured the time in the safe house never the less, incredibly glad his parent was fine with Yogi and they were safe.  
Safety first he told himself softly. Yogi looked up. “Did you say something, Gareki-kun?”  
He shook his head. “Just talking to myself.”  
Yogi nodded. “There are very few other humans here.” He rolled together on Gareki’s lap. “I sometimes wish, Tsukumo-chan would visit us. Hirato-san is her guardian after all, it should be fine, shouldn’t it?”  
Gareki sighed softly. “I think so, but shitty four eyes has his own shitty opinions even with stuff like that…”  
Yogi sighed too. “I’m just glad you’re here. I don’t want to ever miss you, Gareki-kun.”  
Gareki entangled their fingers. “Me neither.”

* * *

  
Gareki kissed him softly, hand pushing through the golden hair. “I don’t want to miss these beds.”  
Yogi cuddled closer. “I’d rather have one of my own.” He yawned softly. “They are big, but it feels like staying in an expensive hotel.” Slowly he snuggled under the blanket and closer against Gareki. “I’m looking forward to moving together.”  
“I don’t think… we’ll move apart in the first place. My aunt mentioned that she wouldn’t mind moving when university brought me to another town. We could just stay like this in our own apartment.” His gaze wandered to Yogi’s tranquil face. “I think it sounds nice.”  
Yogi nodded. “That it does. We should keep your aunt close, there isn’t much of our families left.” His hand ran up to Gareki’s nape and pulled him down for a searing kiss. “Less talking. We’ll make the best of it anyway.”  
“Sure,” he mumbled. “And we will.”

* * *

  
Gareki sighed in relief when he watched Kafka’s headquarters getting stormed by what he guessed to be a squat of whatever Hirato worked for. “No ideas?” Yogi asked and Gareki shook his head.  
It seemed almost impossible that these days came to an end. They seemed so normal to him by now. “They are storming the headquarters,” he answered softly. “We’ll start a new life soon.” Because there wasn’t an old life to return for both of them, the closest to old Gareki could archive was moving back to the old flat with his aunt – and now that he had his inherence and the money he got for the pranks, that wouldn’t happen anymore. And as for Yogi… his family was gone now. Yogi couldn’t go back even if he wished to do so.  
The closest thing to old they could have was the normal school life. Going to school, back home, doing homework, studying and sleep until the next day started with the exact same pattern. It seemed strangely smoothing and at the same time upsetting how little had changed over the last years. It seemed dull. Empty almost.  
There wasn’t his tinkering, he couldn’t remember how fascinated he had been with it once. The computer skills he has archived seemed too small to be of any worth, almost everything he had learned before.  
He sighed again. Leaning back into the couch, downright falling into it. “I don’t remember what normal is anymore,” he mumbled in frustration, cursing a few times afterwards.  
Yogi didn’t step closer to him, he just stood in the doorframe, almost looking ready to cry. “It’s going to be fine…” he mumbled, hugging himself. But he knew he didn’t know how he should react, how he even could react.  
Now, that he soon could go back, it seemed just so much more crushing that there wasn’t anything. Nothing he didn’t have here. He shook his head.  
“It’s the middle of the year. Let’s travel some more before we settle down,” he told Gareki. “I don’t remember what home is, but maybe I can find it again with your aide.” He was shaking, he didn’t know what he should do if Gareki didn’t agree – he understood Gareki with his straight plans had already been set back for a few years, his well planned short cuts had already been taken away.  
Gareki looked at him in something akin to wonder, but eventually nodded. “That… sounds good.” He coughed softly. “I was thinking of something similar.” He said that even though he hadn’t and Yogi knew that, but it had been the answer to his own dilemma, so he could take it.  
Yogi snorted slightly, anxiety falling away. “No computers, just books. I want a sunny beach and a few alcohol free drinks to celebrate our freedom.”  
Gareki took a deep breath and nodded. “That sounds great.”

* * *

  
The beach wasn’t really Gareki’s favourite place to start their journey, but they had planned the countries they wanted to visit well enough, even though they hadn’t set an order yet, so Gareki was content – or even happy with it by the time Hirato came again.  
“As you know, the task force infiltrated Kafka’s hideout. They made enough mistakes so it won’t seem suspicious that we found them,” he caught softly. “Never the less we decided to keep you three undercover a little longer, just to be save.”  
Gareki nodded, that was a precaution, that made sense even though it was annoying. Yogi looked crestfallen. “I was looking forward to walks and humans, Hirato-san…,” he mumbled.  
“I never said you weren’t allowed outside. You are. Just not back home yet,” he answered, pulling out a map of the world and unfolded it on the table. “Pick a destination. Do you go to Rimhakka? The capital this time and feel the culture? Or anywhere else?”  
Yogi halted and gazed at Gareki, something akin to hope sparkling in his violet eyes. Gareki nodded. “We made a list of countries we’d like to visit before we decide how to settle back in normal life.”  
“We already made arrangements for that,” Hirato told him, pulling out some documents and gave one file to Yogi and another to Gareki. “Your grades were good, so we—“  
“You took them for our finals that we never even wrote?” Gareki interrupted him. “Is that even legal, shitty four eyes?”  
Hirato seemed pensive for a moment. “I wouldn’t advertise it. Otherwise other students might get the idea that it made everything simpler if they took on a criminal organisation instead of school. You’re going to have some home schooling when we’re sure everything is clear enough for you to return, but otherwise, congratulations to completing high school.”  
Gareki covered his face with his hands. “This isn’t… making any sense. Now I have to think about university again and quick.”  
“Your last scholarship is still up to date, they still want you under the same conditions. There are a few other offers that might come as soon as your involvement becomes public.” He looked at Yogi. “We got you into the same university, but you can still reconsider if it doesn’t look acceptable.”  
Yogi nodded, wordlessly, maybe too flabbergasted to realise and take in what had really happened just now. The folder was shaking slightly in his hands. “Thank you for keeping us safe Hirato-san.”  
“It’s my job. My job right now and my job as your bodyguard,” he answered and ruffled his hair. “On a more personal agenda, I want you happy too. You’re too bright to fall into despair.”  
Yogi tried to smooth it out, but it never worked, the hair seemed to have a mind of its own as it bounced back into place. “Thank you, Hirato-san.”  
He shook his head. “You enjoy your journey and become a person who changes the world to a brighter place step by step. I’m sure Gareki can help you with that.” He smiled, but Gareki couldn’t shake the feeling that it was slightly off. “He seems to like your brightness.”  
“Hey!” Gareki complained. “I’m still sitting here.”  
“We haven’t forgotten you, Gareki-kun.” Yogi answered and took his hand. “I’ll never forget you!”  
Gareki nodded and his eyes narrowed while his gaze fell back on Hirato. “On a slightly shadier note, what happens with Kafka’s human experiments? Few of them look human anymore.”  
“A lot died,” Hirato answered him. “The others… can’t quite return to the civilisation like this. The higher ups aren’t sure how to handle them yet, it is quite debatable whether they even still deserve human rights when they look more animalistic than human anymore.”  
He closed his eyes. “I was afraid that would happen.”  
“You… they are still human, Hirato-san!” Yogi exclaimed, clearly upset now. Gareki blinked softly, Yogi’s feelings clearly were chaotic today, even more so than usual.  
He hummed softly. “But imagine, Yogi,” Gareki started. “A lot of them might not want to live anymore. You have no idea what Kafka put them through, the last they might want is the weirded out and scared gazes of strangers.”  
“But they could—“  
Gareki shook his head. “Explaining would mean they got past that stranger base. They would need to actively interact with people, do you think they could do that after being tortured by humans who might not have been anything else but strangers for them even though they saw them each day for years?” He shook his head. “It might be nicer for them to be kept secluded and without torture.”  
Yogi was silent, his hands were still shaking, but he nodded. “Kafka is horrible.”  
“Yes, they are.” Gareki answered. “You know why they killed my father?”  
Yogi looked at him in confusion. “He was after them?”  
“They didn’t know that—that’s how the project I was named after was born. The flower that grows in the gravel, a small sprout of hope. They murdered him because he declined working for them after seeing their experiments. But he had already seen them.” He grinned oddly. “He started hacking their database, creating that account I used – ‘Gareki’. My mother must have known about it, otherwise it wouldn’t have been my name.”  
Yogi pulled him into a comforting hug. “It’s going to be alright, Gareki-kun. I think your name is pretty awesome too – it fits, you’re my hope too.”  
“I’m not crying, don’t treat me like a kid.” He complained, but he still hugged back.  
Yogi snorted. “Hugs have nothing to do with crying. And even if they had, you’re sad and you’ve never cried. You still deserve plenty of hugs.”  
“You’re just forever a kid, Yogi,” Gareki snorted. “Crying doesn’t change anything.” His breath wasn’t smooth anymore, but Yogi didn’t care about it.  
He almost laughed. “It does change things, openly grieving helps your mind to progress what’s happening without pushing it aside.”  
“There is no sense missing something you never had in the first place, Yogi. I’m fine. I’m totally fine.” Gareki told him and pushed Yogi slightly away.  
Yogi raised an eyebrow. “If you truly believe that, you don’t know yourself very well, Gareki-kun. But I’ll be doing my best to help you.” He pressed a soft kiss on Gareki’s cheek. “That’s why you have a boyfriend that’s as great as me, don’t you?”  
Gareki snorted slightly. “Of course.” And rolled his eyes. “That’s totally the reason, Yogi. _Totally_.”

* * *

  
Some things, people had to learn to treasure first.  
Things like waking up in the middle of the night and being unable to sleep, but having someone who kept awake with oneself until one felt able to sleep again without being almost forced to talk about what was eating them up. Gareki could appreciate that a great deal. And their long talks about how nice the stars were (even though sometimes, there weren’t even stars in the night sky).  
Or finding a hot chocolate in ones hands after an especially hard night. He leaned slightly against Yogi’s warmth. “Thank you…”  
Yogi shook his head. “It’s no problem! I’m here for you,” he answered and wrapped an arm around Gareki. “Whether you want to talk or be silent. I’m going to be here for you.”  
Gareki knew he would learn to appreciate it even more in future. “It’s ridiculously that I wish they were all here, isn’t it? It’s useless to wish for it, it won’t ever happen.” His sleep deprived mind told his mouth to speak without Gareki really catching on that he had actually said and not just thought it until Yogi answered.  
“I don’t think it’s ridiculous. I wish that Kafka never ripped our families apart either.” He sighed. “But it’s also true that this wishful thinking won’t bring them back. Kafka existed and Kafka ruined a lot for us, we will still muddle though and maybe in the next life, we’ll grow up together and with our families. Never say never they say.”  
“But first this life…” Gareki mumbled.  
“Step by step, yes.” Yogi mumbled. “Moving together, finishing our education, getting a pet…”  
Gareki was almost falling asleep against him, being lulled into it by Yogi’s calming heart beat and voice. “Maybe being a prober foster family one day…” he added absentminded. “There are a lot of kids without a prober home.”  
He wasn’t sure whether he imagined it or whether Yogi’s heart actually skipped a beat on that. But it didn’t quite seem important either, a few moments later he was asleep – calmer than he had been in months.

* * *

  
He was woken up by a haunted looking Yogi. “We need to go now, Gareki-kun!”  
With that, Gareki was instantly awake. “Alright,” he answered, jumping out of the bed and grabbing his bed. “Is the front door ok?”  
Yogi shook his head. “I don’t think so. I—“  
Gareki grabbed his hand and pulled him towards a window. “I’ll climb first, it’ll be easier for you then.” Yogi nodded and with a few quick moves, Gareki was up and reached out to take Yogi’s hand. Yogi took it and Gareki immediately pulled him up.  
Yogi was crouching in front of him, eyes slightly widened in panic, but he decided to follow Gareki’s lead to the other side of the roof for now.  
Gareki cursed softly. Yogi didn’t comment this time. “They found us didn’t they?” Yogi nodded wordlessly. “Let’s run then.” He crouched towards another side of the roof as Kafka started storming the building, letting himself down on a slightly lower roof, before waiting for Yogi to follow. “We’re going to jump.”  
“Okey…” Yogi mumbled and gripped his hand. “I’m not going to jump without you though.” He said pressing it tightly. “I’m holding on to you.”  
Gareki nodded. “On three then and on this roof over there.” Yogi nodded, falling into pace with Gareki.

* * *

  
In the end it was fortunate that Yogi had seen them immediately as they pulled up into the street because he had been cleaning their mugs.  
Gareki closed his eyes when he heard the shots in the distance. Yogi was slightly out of breath, but he was crouching next to him. “As soon as I can, I’ll start being sportive again.”  
Gareki snorted at that. “You’re plenty of sportive, don’t worry.” He watched over the small wall they were hiding behind. “I just wonder how you saw this. I would have just ran down again.”  
“I used to do this once as hobby – parkour I mean not running from criminal organisations.” Yogi leaned against the small table. “I’d rather wait here for a bit before climbing down…”  
Gareki nodded. “Seconded. Do you want a cracker? I have some in the bag.”  
“Sure,” Yogi answered.

* * *

  
They were already tramped four countries farther when Hirato called them, curtly telling them that they had everyone that was involved with the shooting at their hotel. Gareki yawned slightly, but Yogi stayed attentive.  
Hirato also mentioned that this fraction had been why they had been worried to let them go home entirely, but that everything was good and ready for their return. Yogi seemed pensive about it, but Gareki answered immediately. “There are still some places we want to visit. Plan with us in a month or two.”  
Yogi nodded slightly. “I agree with Gareki-kun, Hirato-san. But could you… give me Tsukumo-chan? She is still living with you, isn’t she?”  
Hirato chuckled a bit. “Of course she is. Give me a moment.”  
Yogi chewed on his bottom lip until he heard Tsukumo’s tender ‘Yogi?’.  
“Tsukumo-chan!” he exclaimed sounding way to happy for the moment. “How are you?”  
Tsukumo laughed softly. “I’m fine, but I should tell you that. Not the other way around. How are you two keeping up? Have you seen a lot?”  
“We’re fine, thank you!” Yogi chatted lightly. “It’s so great to hear your voice again! As soon as we’re back, we have to meet up!”  
“That we do,” she agreed.  
“It’s so annoying that all our souvenirs got lost. And I had so nice things collected too!” Gareki grinned slightly.  
“Do you mean these silly things you picked up here and there?” he asked and took the phone from Yogi. “Don’t listen to him, Tsukumo. He only picked up ridiculous things. Have you seen my robots at the science museum? Are there still alive?”  
“They are really cute, Gareki-kun,” she answered him. “The kids love them and a lot of people have asked to buy one as soon as they go into production. It’s good that you also won the patent on them with the money.”  
Gareki snorted. “They are for the hospital, not just toys.”  
“You should reconsider that,” she answered, “They are really popular. But maybe you should think about fur designs too. They do look a little naked as they are.”  
“Let me get back first,” he laughed. “I don’t even have a laptop right now, just a phone.”  
Tsukumo hummed softly. “I want a kitten from you.”  
“WHAT did she just say?”  
“She wants me to build her a robot kitten. Don’t scream in my ear, I don’t want to go deaf before I hit 90.” Gareki rubbed his ear. “What are you going to study?”  
“I’m studying literature. What are you going to study?” she questioned him. “You’ve always been good at everything that was graded – even PE.”  
“I’m going for everything science at first, maybe there is something I click with, maybe I just end up getting a degree in everything. The scholarship I got offered is magic, even though I guess Yogi and I will skip the dorm and just move together. He wants a real kitten.”  
“He always wanted a real kitten,” Tsukumo chuckled softly.  
“I guessed so.” Yogi softly bit into his neck, not even hard enough to leave a bruise, but Gareki narrowed his eyes at him. “Yogi either wants to talk to you again or he is hungry. I’m giving him the phone. We’ll probably speak soon again,” he told her, barely hearing her ‘bye’ when he already gave the phone to Yogi and rubbed his neck.  
Yogi didn’t lose any time and just went on chatting with Tsukumo.

* * *

  
Their first home wasn’t a house with a white painted fence, but an apartment in a good neighbourhood close to the university they were attending, painted in friendly colours, Gareki had insisted weren’t as bright as Yogi had wanted them at first and a big comfortable bed. They even had enough space for some sort of office.  
Gareki stretched himself. Everything seemed so far away after settling in their new home. The kitten jumped on his lap, paws on his chest. Probably taking his movement as some sort of invitation for playing.  
He rubbed her head and she started to purr immediately. “What did you come here for?” He questioned her softly and she meowed.  
Yogi looked in from the door. “Are you loving Gareki-kun more than me again?” he asked the small red kitten.  
She jumped from Gareki’s lap and tried to climb up Yogi’s pants, but he took her and raised her into his arm before she got high enough for it to really hurt. She meowed in protest.  
“I love Gareki-kun very much too, baby,” he said as he pressed a soft kiss in her fur. “What do you think about a snack?” She meowed again. “Then that’s settled. Gareki-kun has a project to work on, you know?”  
She sneezed.  
Gareki snorted. “As if the little lap warmer would annoy me enough to stop working on it.”  
Yogi stuck out his tongue and the kitten hit after it.  
“At least one of you two knows what prober behaviour is,” Gareki snorted. “Now go on, feed your cat.”

* * *

  
They both grew to love the kitten a lot, Yogi quicker than Gareki (or at least he was quicker willing to say it). But sometimes it was a little awkward to have her around.  
Like the free mind she proved to be, she stepped into the bedroom and shook her fur, jumping light footed on the bed and halted. She meowed softly.  
Yogi looked at her, face flushed, panting softly. “Why aren’t you sleeping in your bed, baby?”  
Gareki looked at the cat. The cat looked at them and meowed again. “I will start to lock the door, Yogi. Minako is somewhat obnoxious when we try to spend time with each other.”  
Yogi nodded. He wasn’t even able to think about what he had wanted to do so badly a few minutes ago. “I think we should at least close it…”  
Gareki sat up and raised the cat which just meowed again. “You can’t be hungry again. You got so much for dinner.”  
She sneezed cutely.  
“That’s what you get for taking a poor kitten in. It will eat all your food and still beg until she gets more,” he teased softly.  
Yogi pouted. “Don’t bully my baby,” he defended her. “She is still growing so what if she gets hungry easily?”  
Gareki raised an eyebrow, but it was too dark in the bedroom for Yogi to see. “We’re not going to play with her after she destroyed our fun time, Yogi.”  
He shook his head. “Don’t be heartless, Gareki-kun! Maybe she needs attention!”  
“…fine…” Gareki mumbled.  
Minako meowed happily and started to purr.

* * *

  
There was a scowl on Gareki’s face. “How can you be so clumsy?” he scolded Yogi, placing the band aide on his finger. “You were just helping me with cutting some vegetables.” He shook his head. “Even Nai didn’t cut himself.”  
“I’m sorry, Gareki-kun,” Yogi told him softly, “I never meant to worry you…”  
Gareki snorted. “Who is worried? I’m not worried.”  
Nai pulled on his sleeve. “Why are you lying, Gareki-nii?”  
“Yes, Gareki-kun, why are you lying?” Yogi joined Nai with an amused smile. “You don’t want to be a bad example for poor Nai, do you?” He pouted softly. “Or to your students?”  
Gareki snorted. “I’d be rather worried about yours. Mine are old enough to take a lie or two.”  
Yogi looked at him scandalized. “You still shouldn’t lie to them!”  
“I’ll try. Now shut up, this isn’t going to kill you. Just go play with Nai and leave cooking to me.” He lightly shoved him out of the door.

* * *

  
Yogi watched Nai asking Gareki questions and watched Gareki struggle to explain it in terms and words Nai knew, even though Nai often still seemed confused. Yogi chuckled softly.  
“Don’t laugh, I’m doing my best,” Gareki mentioned. “And at least I can cut carrots without making a mess of everything and murder myself.”  
Yogi laughed. “Yes, master of knives, you cut carrots the best.” Gareki looked at him with a raised eyebrow and the rest of his expression almost screamed ‘don’t fuck with me’, so Yogi sobered up. “The kids have been asking for you to come again. You made quite an expression the last time.”  
“Because your helper was incompetent, he would have burned the table like that. I’m not sitting in a room where kids get traumatised with science experiments.” He spoke, “This doesn’t even happen in my classroom, and there the kids sometimes behave like they are still in puberty.” He grumbled. “Nai you’ll behave in that age.”  
Nai nodded happily. “I’ll always behave, Gareki-nii.”  
Gareki nodded and Yogi chuckled. “Let him be a kid for now, we’ll raise him well.”  
“We were better when we were in that age,” Gareki mumbled. “We at least did our homework.”  
Yogi chuckled. “Of course we did. So we had time to do fun stuff all the time. Remember that one time we got into trouble for being caught making up in a science lab? Your prof was surprised you dated someone.”  
Gareki rolled his eyes. “It was so ridiculous really. We didn’t even get into trouble, because I was allowed to be there and kept an eye on you there.” He chuckled. “And he teased me about that for weeks. Telling me to go home to my boyfriend whenever I asked too many questions.”  
Yogi nodded. “I got the same.” He helped Nai cutting his meat and then went on. “Whenever I had that prof, he called me out for the hard calculations and questions, because I obviously must have learned something from you.”  
Gareki shook his head. “This is ridiculous. How does he think, one studies? I have to ask him tomorrow.”  
“Well…” Yogi mumbled. “That would at least be some study motivation—“  
“I’d rather call it a distraction. You don’t want to know, Nai. Everything is good. Yogi, my parent called, she’s going to visit tomorrow.”  
Nai seemed confused but nodded. “Alright?”  
“I’ll buy some cake on the way back home tomorrow then!”

* * *

  
It hadn’t started as good as it should, it didn’t continue smooth either, but they had somewhat forged their path to be one, they could continue going without drowning in regret.  
Or sleeping in regret. Gareki huffed softly when Yogi crawled into the bed next to him. “Did you finally get all the paint and glitter away or will I be surprised in the morning?”  
Yogi laughed, it was bright and happy again. “I don’t look like a unicorn with war paint anymore.”  
“That’s good. You wouldn’t get to sleep here otherwise. Unicorns don’t like man, just woman.”  
Yogi huffed softly and pressed a kiss against Gareki’s neck. “I love you too, Gareki-kun. Good night.”  
“Sleep well, Yogi.”  
At least the slept as long as Nai decided they needed sleep and jumped on their beds.  
These soft huffs of breath.  
Speaking of this cosiness.  
Peaceful is the night.

* * *

  
Not quite the End for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a little bit sorry? I love you guys, but it was November when I wrote it and November always ends like this...  
> As far as I know, revision months for NaNo are in January/February, so I might only come to it then and with the giveaway I am planning and college time isn't there as much as I'd like. (Uploading this already took ages and I still have a AU which was part of the 50'000 words, the last bit of the words are from an original I'm not going to upload. It's German anyway.)  
> On another note, how is it with the spacing between the paragraphs, is this better or the one from the chapters before? I'll change this sooner or later, if only so the layout stays the same through the story, but I've been wondering.
> 
> Much love  
> Mal ♥


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